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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30071061">A Little Brother's Wish</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Im_a_fool_for_whump/pseuds/Im_a_fool_for_whump'>Im_a_fool_for_whump</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Hardy Boys</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>All of the Hardy Family members cry, Angst, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Angst, Frank gets mad at Joe, Frank is 13, Gun Violence, Hurt/Comfort, I put these poor boys through so much, Joe ends up in hospital twice, Joe gets amnesia for a bit, Joe is 12, Lots of Crying, Lots of drama, Mind Control, Mystery, also posted on fanfiction under my other pen name RightPerspectiveofwhump, younger hardy boys</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:48:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>26,408</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30071061</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Im_a_fool_for_whump/pseuds/Im_a_fool_for_whump</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Trouble comes after Joe and leaves him different. <br/>When an incident leaves a 13 year old Frank furious with a 12 year old Joe. <br/>Frank thinks that it is all Joe's fault and Joe doesn't know what to do or how to make Frank understand that it wasn't his fault. <br/>Rated T just in case YOUNG FRANK AND JOE.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>All the Hardy's &amp; OC, Con RIley - Relationship, Fenton Hardy&amp; Frank Hardy, Frank Hardy &amp; Joe Hardy, Joe Hardy&amp; Fenton Hardy, Joe Hardy&amp; OC, Laura Hardy &amp;and her family</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I hate you! I absolutely HATE you Joe." Frank's voice was loud and heavily laced with anger as he paced around the room before stopping and glaring at his younger 12-year-old brother.</p><p>"You don't mean that Frank." Joe said looking at his 13-year-old brother with eyes starting to brim with tears.</p><p>"Oh, I mean it Joe. I wish I were an only child."</p><p>"NO, you don't mean it Frank. Please Frankie you don't mean it." Joe didn't know how much more he could take before the tears started to stream down his face. He was trying to be brave and understand why Frank was angry at him, but Frank's words were slicing him to his heart, and he was breaking.</p><p>"NO, you don't get to call me Frankie. Not after what you did." Frank's anger was getting the better of him and even though he knew deep down he didn't mean it; the anger and fear was too much for him to process. He wanted to stop, to pull his little brother into a hug and apologize profusely to him, but he couldn't. It was like he was trapped in his body watching from the inside out.</p><p>He heard what he was saying and saw what his words were doing to Joe but there was nothing he could do to stop himself.</p><p>"But I didn't do anything Frank! Please Mom pushed me aside and I fell. There was nothing I could do to stop it." Joe was pleading with his brother, but Frank wouldn't hear it.</p><p>"You could have done something Joe, instead of letting Mom get shot. I can't be here with you right now." Frank grabbed his jacket and started toward the door.</p><p>"Frank, I need you! please don't go I'm scared." Joe's voice turned into a whimper at the end and Frank stopped. He turned around his eyes ablaze with misplaced anger and said "Mom was scared too Joe. Yet she pushed you to safety and she got shot by the robbers not you. She never would have even gone to the kitchen if you weren't such a baby about the dark. It's your fault that she might not come home Joe. Just leave me alone."</p><p>Frank turned and slammed the door leaving Joe to stand in shock in the now empty house. Joe's chest heaved up and down faster and faster as the tears started to spill down his young and sorrow-stricken face. Joe felt as if his heart were being ripped out of his chest and it wouldn't stop. He turned from the living room in which he stood and ran to the stairs leading to his room.</p><p>As he raced up the stairs flashes of what had happened just a day ago rushed back into his mind. He stumbled and fell sideways head hitting the wall. He sunk down to the steps and sat, head leaned sideways against the wall and as flashes of the traumatic incident ran through his head, he cried to his heart's content.</p><p>1 day earlier</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>1 day earlier</p><p>"<em>Mom, I'm hungry" Laura looks down at her youngest son's whining voice and smiles.</em></p><p>"<em>Dinners almost ready Joe. Why don't you go tell your brother to come and help you set the table?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Joe grins and says happily "Okay"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He runs out of the kitchen but slows down when Laura's voice comes after him saying "No running in the house Joseph." He walks the rest of the way to the stairs and bolts up them as fast as he can. He walks to Frank's room and throws the door open waling in and seeing that Frank was reading a book walks over to his bed. Joe jumps on the bed beside Frank and says, "What yah reading Frank?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Frank looks up from his intriguing book slightly annoyed at the interruption but tells Joe "I'm reading a detective book."</em>
</p><p>"<em>You mean liked Dad?" Joe asks with eyes shining full of adoration for his father and his father's profession.</em></p><p>
  <em>Frank smiles and says, "Yeah Joe just like Dad."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Joe gets a dreamy look in his eyes and sits silently next to Frank on his bed. Frank looks up after a moment of complete silence and notices Joe's little happy smile. Frank smiles at him and asks, "What are you thinking about Joe?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The look drops from Joe's eyes and Joe looks over at Frank. Joe's smile turns to a shy one and he says "Nothing" Frank's features turn to confusion because this was the first time that Joe didn't tell him right away what he was thinking. Joe was the type of lovable person that when you ask him what he is thinking he will at once blurt it out.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Come on Joe. What are you thinking about?" Frank was very curious now and waited impatiently for Joe to answer him.</em></p><p>"<em>I want to be like dad when I get older. You know be a detective." Joe blurted it out fast and waited hoping Frank wouldn't laugh at him.</em></p><p>
  <em>Frank smiled and said "I want to be a detective too. Maybe we could be even be a team."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Joe's face lit up again and he bounced off the bed excitedly saying "Frank and Joe super detectives!" The sound of clanking dishes reminded Joe of why he came into Frank's room in the first place. "Frank, I forgot. Mom wanted me to come and get you so we could set the table for dinner." Frank also gets off his bed and he heads for the door before turning around grinning and saying,</em>
</p><p>"<em>Come on super detective lets go." Joe smiled impossibly bigger and ran past his brother towards the stairs. As Joe passed by Frank Joe's head even though he was only a year younger than Frank came only halfway up his chest. If a stranger saw Joe, they would think that he was 9 or 10 not 12. Frank walked fast but not as fast as Joe out of his room and after closing his door went ahead to the stairs. Whatever Joe may have lacked in height Frank thought. He surely made up for it in spirit.</em></p><p>Joe's eyes snapped open and he jerked his head away from the stairs wall as he realized that he had fallen asleep. He wondered what he was doing on the stairs when a torrent of awful memories of the past day and earlier came sweeping back into his mind. Before Joe had a second to think he heard a noise coming from the back porch.</p><p>He waited for a second thinking that the wind might have made the house creak. It happened now and again but as Joe sat perfectly still, he heard it again. Joe thought that maybe Frank had come back and was in the backyard playing. Joe went down the stairs and peered into the slightly darkened backyard. Seeing nothing he opened the sliding glass door, mosquito screen, and stepped out into the backyard.</p><p>He hadn't gotten more than a few steps when he was roughly grabbed from behind and pulled up against someone's body. He could feel their heavy breathes in their body and then they whispered softly with tiny breathes blowing into Joe's ear making his ear tickle "Where's the file?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After Frank had taken his anger unjustly out on Joe and left the house via the front door, he stopped short when he saw the undercover cop car parked across the street. Frank suddenly remembered that his dad had asked for an undercover cop be outside the Hardy house. Especially since the man who had broken in the house and shot Laura hadn't been caught much to Fenton's anger and slight fear for his family's safety.</p><p>Frank stood there then started to walk over to the car when the plainclothes cop inside the car waved him over. He and Joe had been at the hospital with their dad waiting for news until Fenton sent them home with Con Riley. Con was an old friend of Fenton's and was like an uncle to the boys especially since he was neither married nor did he have kids of his own.</p><p>Unfortunately, Con had to rush to a crime scene so the officer that Frank was walking up to was more of an older brother than just a friend. His name was Cole Bennington, and he was a younger cop. He had met the Hardy boys when he was fresh out of the academy at 21 and they were around 4 and 5. They had brought along to the police station with Fenton because he had to see Con concerning a case.</p><p>Cole was 6'4 and when Frank and Joe first met him Joe thought he was a giant. <em>Now Joe was short when he was 12 but when he was 4, he looked more like a toddler than a four-year-old. A cute toddler though with his big blue eyes twinkling and his mop of beach blond hair hanging in his eyes.</em></p><p>
  <em>Frank looked like a 5-year-old though and he had his dark hair cut short and was enraptured by the big shiny police department as their father led them to Con's desk.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Joe on the other hand wasn't excited by the police department. In fact, he was quite bored and after sitting on Con's lap for a while he decided to go find something that was more exciting. He tugged on Con's shirt and pointed to the ground wanting to be let down. Con complied rather reluctantly and gently set the 4-year-old on the ground. After being put down Fenton and Con seemed to forget about Joe for, they were in deep conversation about one of Fenton's cases.</em>
</p><p><em>Joe want over to the front of the desk to see if Frank wanted to play but Frank was entranced with watching a big shiny clock on the wall go tick-tock. So, Joe wondered off to go find someone else to play with. </em>Frank's memories were overrun with the fresh horror of what had happened a day earlier. <em>Dinner time…. They had hot dogs…. Joe was so happy…. They were his favorite…. Bedtime…. Then screams…. gunshot…. creeping down the stairs…. Joe is off to one side…. Mom pushed him to…. safety…. Mom…. not so lucky…. blood…so much…</em></p><p>
  <em>blood…. hurt…. bad…. blood…. Joe's fault…. learned later…. he wanted…. water in the night…. too scared of the dark…. To go by himself…. it should have…. been me…. Joe should have…. woken me up…. not mom…. my fault…not Joe's… .I yelled at…. him last time…. he woke me up…. for water… my fault…</em>
</p><p>Frank was brought back to the present as Cole asked him a question and was waiting for is reply.</p><p>"Sorry Cole I was thinking bout something else. What did you say?" Cole smiled and repeated his question.</p><p>"What are you so upset about?" Frank grimaced and turned his face downward suddenly becoming interested in a rock that was on the ground. Frank replied with a heavy sigh "it's nothing."</p><p>Cole was about to say that he knew when Frank was lying. But before Cole could open his mouth a yell came from the Hardy's backyard. It was a yell of pain then followed by a younger but even louder scream of "The robber came back!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Frank took off towards his house suddenly very afraid for Joe. Cole radioed it in then got out of his police car quickly. Frank was alone then with his long legs Cole was suddenly 10 feet in front of him. They were running towards the back of the house and Cole had his weapon drawn and aimed at the ground while he ran but ready to use in a second. Cole came up to the house and ran around it, Frank not too far behind running as fast as he could to catch up with him.</p><p>Cole slowed down slightly while rounding the house and brought his gun up level with his chest and extended outward in his hands. He swung his gun around the edge of the house and when his sharp gaze caught sight of Joe's small body on the ground he walked over quickly. His eyes keeping a sharp look out he put two fingers on Joe's neck to check for a pulse. A pulse being the throbbing of arteries produced by the heart's contractions, Cole reminded himself. He checked for it and got a slightly strong one.</p><p>Frank rounded the house stopping short when he saw Joe's figure lying prone and unmoving on the ground. Cole whispered to Frank to stay with Joe as he checked out the back yard. Cole's voice yanked Frank out of his shock and he at once went forward then dropped to his knees by his brother. Cole stood up straight and did a systematical sweep of the backyard coming up empty. Walking back over to the boys Cole checked on Joe again then proceeded to go into the Hardy house.</p><p>He swept the ground floor, top floor, then proceeded to go to the basement. Cole came back up the stairs and went back outside to the boys. No one had been in the house or in the backyard. He would have gone around the block since he didn't hear a car start up, but he couldn't leave the boys by themselves. Just as Cole reached the boys the tell-tale wale of police sirens filled the air and screeching tires came to a stop out in front of the house.</p><p>"Joe! Frank!" Fenton's frantic voice carried well into the backyard and to Cole and Frank's ears.</p><p>"Dad, were back here!" Frank yelled out to his dad and Cole yelled</p><p>"Better send for an ambulance just in case." That sent Fenton running faster than he had run in it seemed forever. He rounded the corner of the house just as Joe started to wake up. He stopped short just like Frank had upon seeing his son lying on the ground.</p><p>"Joe" Fenton said but it could have been a whisper for the name was swallowed up in the loud moan that came from an awakening Joe. Fenton hurried forward and kneeled with Frank at Joe's side. "Joe, buddy can you hear me?" Fenton asked his baby boy. Joe's eyelids fluttered and to Joe the world seemed to be spinning. He heard his Fathers voice calling out to him and he wanted to go to it to answer it. But something was pulling him back.</p><p>It seemed the closer Joe got to the light the harder the something pulled at him. He fought it though for he needed to tell his dad about the man. Joe's eyes were wide open suddenly and Joe lurched up off the ground. Fenton put a hand on Joe's back to steady him. Joe's eyes turned towards Fenton at the feeling of a hand on his back. His eyes locked onto Fenton, but they seemed dull lifeless.</p><p>Fenton saw the look in Joe's eyes and it almost scared him to see Joe's normally bright and sparkling eyes to look so dull. Now that Joe was off the ground Cole squatted behind Joe and saw blood slowly but steadily streaming out of a nasty looking gash Joe had on the back of his head. Joe's eyes came to life for a second and Joe's arm shot out grabbing a fistful of Fenton's shirt and holding onto it tight. His mouth opened but two words came out before Joe's eyes rolled back showing the white of his eyes, his eyelids closed, and his body went limp.</p><p>Fenton slowly lowered his son back to the ground and held onto Frank who had grabbed onto Fenton when Joe had fallen unconscious again. He held Frank close and tight staring at his unconscious baby, wondering where the dang ambulance was, and slowly repeating in his head what Joe had said. He knew that the image of Joe's dull eyes then Joe losing consciousness would haunt him in his dreams.</p><p>Slowly the ambulance sirens started to fill the air and Fenton holding Frank repeated out loud what Joe had said</p><p>"Want…. File"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Willie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Images, memories, dreams. They all swirled in Joe's mind, one of them popping up in front of his eyes for a second then dissipating and another took its place. He hurt and he wasn't sure why. The sirens wandered into his ears and he thought he could hear his father talking to him but then there was nothing.</p><p>Blackness, darkness, silence descended upon Joe and he was left all alone. he felt cold, hopeless and he wanted his brother to come and protect him.<em> Why do you want your brother?</em> A little voice asked him as Joe remained in darkness.</p><p>"<em>Because Frank protects me."</em> Joe said angrily to the calm slightly high-pitched voice in his head. <em>Frank yelled at you told you he wanted to be an only child. He said he didn't want you he blamed you for things that were out of your control. It seems foolish to want someone who mistreats you so.</em> The voice finished and Joe was speechless as he processed what the voice told him.</p><p>"<em>Frank does not mistreat me!" </em>Joe said indignant at what the voice was saying. <em>"Frank was just mad, and I think scared like I am. It was scary to see Mom hurt like that. Plus, he might have a point. If I hadn't wanted water in the middle of the night Mommy might still be okay and at home." </em>This time the voice was quiet, and Joe was left in unconscious darkness once again.</p><p>Joe was wondering when he was going to wake up and hoping that the man who had struck him hadn't hurt Frank when the voice returned. Even though the voice didn't speak yet it was like Joe could feel its presence. it wasn't creepy no on the contrary it was a welcome relief from the endless blackness which en-wrapped Joe at the moment. When the voice wasn't speaking up Joe decided to speak first.</p><p>"<em>Who are and what do you want?" </em>Joe asked curiosity getting the better of him.</p><p><em>I don't believe that I have a name. At least no one has ever given me a name.</em> Joe interrupted before the voice could continue saying</p><p>"<em>Well if you don't have a name, I will give you one. How about Willie?" </em>There was a pause then the voice replied</p><p><em>Willie. Yes, I rather like that name. Tell me what made you think of such a name. </em>Joe laughed and his laughter echoed inside of his head bouncing back to him before dying out.</p><p>"<em>It's from my favorite movie Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." </em>Joe replied rather happy that the name he thought of pleased this mysterious voice.</p><p><em>Ah I see. Well, never less I will now be called by this name </em>Willie said.</p><p>"<em>I'm glad. But now back to my second question. What do you want?" </em>Joe liked Willie but he was curious as to what Willie could possibly want from him.</p><p>Then as if he were reading Joe's thoughts Willie said <em>I want nothing from you Joe. I like you too, but I have come to give not to take. That Is my job you see Joe. I am here to give you something incredibly special. Something that you can do whatever you want with. </em>Joe's curiosity was peaked at its height at Willie's almost magical sounding words.</p><p>Just as Joe was going to ask Willie what it was the darkness faded away and white poured into his vision, noises blaring into his ears. Joe regained consciousness with Willies words fresh in his ears and suddenly the feeling of not needing Frank on his heart. It was like as Joe slowly regained consciousness he no longer wanted Frank to protect him.</p><p>Joe's brotherly need and want of Frank slowly dwindled away as he came back into the land of the living.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Voices started to come into focus for Joe, but he felt weird. He could feel the pain starting to emanate from the back of his head. It made his head pound and his heart race. That wasn't what was weird though. No, It wasn't what he could feel but what he couldn't feel. Joe normally felt more wanting of his big brother when he was hurt. But it was like all of a sudden, he had woken up from a dream and realized that he didn't need to be so clingy and he knew that he wouldn't fall apart if he wasn't with Frank.</p><p>Joe had never felt like that before, but it didn't freak him out and he wasn't scared. Joe didn't know what had happened then memories of Willie filtered back into his mind. <em>Was this Willie's doing?</em> Joe didn't know and he was curious as to why exactly, if this was Willie's doing, he would do such a thing to him. Frank's voice suddenly exploded in Joe's head as Frank whispered</p><p>"Please Joe! Please wake up Joey." Something that felt buried inside of him lurched out of him and Joe felt the sudden urge to comfort Frank at all costs. Joe tried to open his eyes, but they wouldn't work. He tried to say something, but his mouth wouldn't open. He was stuck inside of darkness with contradicting feelings brimming inside of him and he didn't know why. The feelings that Joe knew were screaming at him to cling to Frank's voice.</p><p>But new and strange feelings were calmly reaching out to him. They were telling him that he didn't need to cling let alone be as close to Frank as he was. Joe didn't know what to do let alone which feelings to listen to. So, he did the only thing he could think of in an impossible situation. He screamed. He wasn't sure if it was in his mind or aloud, but he screamed at the top of his 12-year-old voice</p><p>"Wiiiilllliiiieeee"</p><p>Frank had been leaning over the rail of Joe's hospital bed whispering for him to wake up when Joe's body arched up, off the bed, and into the air. Frank not prepared to see his little brother's small body arch of the bed but when Joe screamed for someone named Willie was when Frank got really scared. Joe's body held its uplifted position for it seemed hours to Frank but, it was really just seconds.</p><p>Joe's body came back down with a heart sickening thump onto the hospital bed and Frank stood there his entire teenage body quaking. He was more terrified than he could ever remember in his entire life. He looked down at his hands and willed them to stop shaking but it didn't work. His hands shook all the way up to his head and the whole way down to his tied black and white sneakers.</p><p>Frank looked back at Joe, but Joe was once again in the land of unconsciousness. Fenton was coming back from the cafeteria with food for himself and Frank. He was walking down the hallway leading to the outside of Joe's room just in time to hear the end of his baby boy's scream. Fenton froze mid-step, the food slipped out of his grasp, and he broke into a run for Joe's room.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>What is wrong Joe? </em>Willie's voice sounded infuriatingly calm to Joe.</p><p>"<em>What did you do to me?"</em></p><p><em>You were not pleased?</em> Willie's voice showed his confusion to Joe's question.</p><p>"<em>No, Willie I felt as if I wasn't Frank's brother anymore. Of course, I didn't like it."</em></p><p>
  <em>But did you not feel freer to be yourself?</em>
</p><p>"<em>If you mean I felt calmer than yes but…"</em></p><p>
  <em>All I did was grant what you wanted Joe.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I never asked for that!"</em></p><p>
  <em>Yes, you may not have verbally asked for it, but I feel what is in your heart Joe. I know what it is that you truly want.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Your wrong Willie. I never want to feel like that disconnected from Frank ever again. How can you feel what is in my heart? Why are you doing this?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Joe, I am a part of you. You've really never questioned the voice that calms you down and helps give you ideas when you're in a jam?</em>
</p><p>"<em>Wait, wait. That was you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Yes, that was me.</em>
</p><p>"<em>But you sound different and besides there's not really a voice in my head. I think I got hit in the head. You're not real."</em></p><p>
  <em>Quite on the contrary Joe. I am very real. I use a voice that you will respond to most in different situations Joe. So, the voice that you hear will change upon your demeanor. You know you got hit in the head Joe. You remember it and so do I. you see Joe I have always been with you. I pop up from time to time to help you out and right now you need a lot of help.</em>
</p><p>"<em>What is that supposed to mean?"</em></p><p>
  <em>You feel hurt by Frank's anger towards you Yes?</em>
</p><p>"<em>I mean yeah who wouldn't. But he didn't mean it really he was just mad."</em></p><p>
  <em>Is that what you believe Joe?</em>
</p><p>"<em>Yes, maybe, I don't know. Stop confusing me!"</em></p><p><em>All right, all right Joe no need to yell inside of your head. It is a rather small space and sound is very loud in here. </em>Willie's voice had turned from calm to sounding amused which made Joe feel slightly better.</p><p>"<em>Is this still you Willie?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Yes. Do you like this voice?</em>
</p><p>"<em>Yeah, it sounds like you're almost smiling."</em></p><p><em>Is that so? </em>a small tinkling laugh resounded in Joe's mind then Willie's voice said<em> I just might be smiling Joe.</em></p><p>Willie's voice stopped and Joe drifted into sleep. Willie could feel Joe's heartbeat and waited until it slowed down before he though more on his plan. After all he couldn't work on his plan if Joe was awake since he had to keep his plan a secret. Willie had heard Fenton rush in earlier but had made sure that Joe didn't hear it.</p><p>Fenton would ruin his plans if he let him near Joe. Fenton had come in and was currently sitting in chair. Willie could tell by the slight creaking sounds the chair made whenever Fenton shifted his weight. Willie heard someone come into Joe's room, so he listened closely diverting all the sounds that assaulted Joe's ears to him and him only. Joe remained asleep and only Willie heard what was going on in the room outside of Joe's mind in which he was stuck.</p><p>Something about Laura caught Willie's attention.</p><p><em>A dang it!</em> Willie whispered infuriated to himself as he heard what the doctor was telling Fenton about Laura. Joe's mother would become a big obstacle to him if he wasn't careful.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Your wife is going to be fine Mr. Hardy. We repaired all the damage the bullet did which was quite amazingly small. The bullet dug into the side of her stomach fortunately only a little deeper than a deep graze. So, the bullet was lodged close to the surface. She will be able to go home in a couple of days."</p><p>Hours later Joe wakes up happy to see his dad but when Frank takes Joe's hand Joe smiles politely and wriggles his hand free. All the while Willie is whispering in Joe's head that Frank will just hurt him again if he lets Frank back in. So, Joe stays distant and at the end of the second week Frank is starting to think that what he yelled at Joe the 2 weeks before might have cost him his brother.</p><p>Frank wanted to repair what he had damaged, but he didn't know how. Frank knew he had to try though so 2 weeks after Joe was knocked unconscious found Frank standing outside of Joe's room. Frank's hands was raised to knock on the closed door but he hesitated while he tried to formulate a plan so he knew what he was going to do when he talked to Joe.</p><p>Meanwhile across the hall in Fenton's personal study behind a big polished and gleaming desk sat Fenton musing deep in thought. The police and Cole were all over the case and at the end of the first week they had caught the burglar.</p><p>The burglar was the same one who had shot Laura. When he was questioned all, he said was that he was hired to steal an important file from the Hardy's residence. After he sat stewing in a jail cell overnight, he was a little more cooperative. He gave them a lead as to who hired him, and he told them that the file he had been hired to steal was a file named "Willie". Fenton was complexed because he didn't have any files marked just Willie.</p><p>Unfortunately, the burglar didn't know anything else. His court date was in the middle of the second week. The day of the trial the guards found the burglar mysteriously hanged in his prison cell. The police wrote it off as a suicide, but Fenton wasn't convinced. It was the name of the file that the burglar had been hired to steal that was bugging him "Willie". Was it a high-profile criminal's name? Was it the name of a government operation?</p><p>What puzzled Fenton even more was why someone would think that he had such a file. Fenton must have gone through all his files at least 3 times combing through every file looking for any reference to a file names "Willie". Nothing. Fenton had absolutely nothing. The lead the burglar had given them had led them to an untraceable P.O box about 200 miles from Bayport.</p><p>The burglar was dead, and he was left with scraps of information like pieces to a jigsaw puzzle. Fenton hated jigsaw puzzles. Joe had made him do one with him and it took Fenton a half an hour to find the right piece while Joe had finished half the puzzle in the meantime. Thinking of Joe Fenton got out of his chair startled when he heard Joe's door slam loudly down the hall.</p><p>Walking to the study door across the carpeted floor he opened it and looked towards Joe's door. What he saw struck him in the heart. It was Frank standing in front of Joe's door his shoulders slumped and the most guilty and sorrow stricken face he have ever seen.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please let me know what ya'll think of my story!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sound of knocking filled the hallway as Frank knocked upon Joe's door with trepidation. The door opened a second later and there stood Joe. He wore a blank expression when he saw Frank and waited for Frank to say why he was there.</p><p>"Hey Joe, I was wondering if we could talk for a bit." Frank said nervous for the first time in his life when he was talking to his little brother.</p><p><em>Tell him you don't want to talk to him. </em>Willies voice sounded sweet and caring in joe's head.</p><p>"I don't want to talk to you Frank." Joe was shutting the door when it was stopped by Frank's foot.</p><p>"I NEED to talk to you Joe. Can I come in?"</p><p><em>NO!</em> Willies voice almost screamed in Joe's head. Joe winced outwardly and Frank's concern grew. <em>Sorry about that Joe. Err why don't you talk to Frank just where you are. If you let him in our…err… your room then it would be like saying that you forgive Frank for what he did to you. You would be saying that you are okay with him treating you like that. But you aren't okay with that right?</em></p><p>"<em>No, but he is my brother Willie. I kind of have to forgive him, don't I?" Joe's voice in his head seemed so insignificant compared to Willie's.</em></p><p>Joe wondered when Willie's voice got so big inside of his mind. Willie seemed to be everywhere.</p><p>"Joe are you okay?" Frank asked concerned since it had been about a minute since he had asked Joe if he could come into his room.</p><p>
  <em>Joe, ask him what he wants.</em>
</p><p>"What do you want Frank?" Joe looked up slightly at his big brother with eyes that seemed to have been dulled somehow.</p><p>"I wanted to apologize Joe for yelling at you a couple of weeks ago. I was scared about Mom and I shouldn't have said any of what I said. I am so sorry Joey." For a minute Joe's eyes seemed to come back to life and he smiled at Frank.</p><p>
  <em>He's lying.</em>
</p><p>"<em>He is not! If he was lying, then his mouth would twitch a little a the left corner of his mouth."</em></p><p>
  <em>Joe, I'm trying to protect you.</em>
</p><p>"<em>No, I don't want your protection willie. I want my Frankie back and I'm going to get him back NOW."</em></p><p><em>I didn't want to do this Joe, but you leave me no choice. </em>Willie's voice went robotic in nature and lost all sense of warmth, emotion, or even human sound. <em>Activating program Alpha. Complete control established in 5,4,3,2.</em></p><p>"Frank, I don't accept your apology and I don't want to talk to you again. I don't need your protection or your love. Because I can take care of myself and I don't need to cling to you like a baby. You've also completely crushed any love I might have had left for you. Please don't talk to me again." Joe slammed the door in Frank's face. Frank was stunned beyond words.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Yes, sir the idiot shot the mom." The words belonged to a tall, thin, and sallow faced man. He spoke into a phone and with his free hand he took the puffing cigarette out of his mouth and blew a cloud of toxic smoke into the evening air. He stood in an office about 12 stories off the ground and was looking out of his open window to the city outside as he listened to what the person on the phone was telling him.</p><p>City sounds wafted through the air and to his ears. Beeping horns, dogs barking incessantly, the sound of traffic stopping, screeching wheels, the occasional helicopter, and many more different noises that thousands of people in a big city could make. He put the cigarette back in his mouth and drew a long breath of the noxious smoke before blowing it out into the already smog filled city air.</p><p>He wore a regular business suit that hung rather loosely on his skinny frame. His hair was slicked back, and his nose was pointed sharply and down at the end of his face. His eyes had a look about them that if you were a mile away, he could tell what brand of shoes you were wearing. His cheeks were as thin as the rest of his body and they were sunken in slightly. His cheeks turned slightly red as he listened to what the person said to him.</p><p>"Ye-Yes of course but it all worked out okay. Yeah, I know he wasn't supposed to but the guy we slipped into the hospital was still able to get the program into the kid. I KNOW what e did was not in his contract sir. Yes, sir he was taken care of for his breech in the agreement. Yes, sir we made it look like a suicide. Uh-uh. I will get a beep when the program is activated.</p><p>"Yes, sir you will be notified the second the program has found the file you want. Okay. Goodb…"</p><p>He winced as the person on the other side hung up on him abruptly. He hated his job. He hated his boss. He drew one last puff on the cigarette then turned around and dropped it into his ash tray which sat upon his old and worn desk. He sat down in his overstuffed and ragged chair. He put his elbows on his desk and his head on his hands. When he thought about the murder of the man, he had ordered he didn't blink. But when he though of what the man had been hired to do, he wanted to punch someone.</p><p>Before he could think that he might actually have feelings his phone beeped. He looked at it and at once smiled. Soon he hoped it would all be over, and he wouldn't have to think about anymore. He dialed a number and listened to it as it rang. He leaned back in his chair not even hearing it creak as his boss picked up the phone. "Sir, the techs just notified me. Yes, sir the program has been activated. Yes, it should only be a matter of time before it finds the file.</p><p>"You want me to go to Bayport sir? No, sir it is no problem. Yes, sir I will keep an eye on the boy. Absolutely sir. Yes, sir. By sir."</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Laura was supposed to be sitting in the family room resting but she was the type of woman who forgoes rest to get things done. Besides Laura reasoned with herself as she shut off the uninteresting tv and got up off the couch with ease. I am perfectly fine she told herself and it was true the wound hadn't been too big and after 2 weeks of doing nothing but healing the pain which had bothered her before had dulled itself considerably until she barely even know it was there.</p><p>So, when Joe came downstairs Laura was not in the family room watching tv but in the kitchen fixing dinner. She turned around when he heard someone coming and smiled sweetly when she saw her golden-haired baby going through the hallway behind her.</p><p>"Joe honey could you come here for a minute?" Laura called her blue eyes sparkling with anticipation. Joe walked into the kitchen and Laura at once stopped kneading the dough for the pie and with floury hands she touched Joe's face worriedly.</p><p>"Joe honey are you okay?" Motherly concern flowing from her as she had noticed the second that she had seen Joe's eyes that something was wrong. The sparkle, a certain sort of gleam could always be seen in Joe's big blue eyes. It was something that stuck out as much as his blond hair. Laura could still remember the first time she had seen those baby blue eyes open. She could almost hear herself exclaim with surprise at how brightly vibrant they were.</p><p>Joe's eyes were just one of many unique things that she loved about her youngest son staring back at her.</p><p>"I'm fine Mother." It was Joe's mouth that moved and his voice that spoke, but Laura couldn't have been more surprised if Joe had sprouted wings right then. Joe never EVER called her Mother. Laura could see Frank calling her mother because Frank always seemed to be so much more grown up than his age. But Joe NEVER called her Mother. He called her Ma, Mom, and sometimes when he was hurt, he would resort to the babyish Mamma.</p><p>Something which Laura was always secretly thrilled with when he did. Something was wrong with Joe Laura could feel it in her bones. So, she asked Joe again</p><p>"Joe is something wrong sweetie? Does your head still hurt? Did you hurt yourself baby?" Her concern was answered a shrug of Joe's shoulders and an answer of</p><p>"I'm fine. I was going to go ride my bike to the park. Is that okay Mother?" Laura didn't know what to say. She was speechless but she somehow found her voice and said</p><p>"Sure, honey just be back in an hour for dinner." Joe left and Laura's maternal instincts were screaming at her that something was wrong. She ran outside to stop Joe because she had a bad feeling but when she got there he was just zooming around the end of the block towards the park. Sighing with frustration and worry she decided that maybe Joe was still trying to get over what had happened to her a couple of weeks ago. But as she turned back and went into the house, she promised herself that she was going to find out what was wrong with Joe and she would help her baby get through it.</p><p>The sight that greet her as she entered left her as speechless as Joe had just a few minutes ago.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The wind had picked up and the sky was starting to darken as rain clouds moved in on the evening sky. Joe's bike skidded to a stop as he reached his destination. The park was empty as it was drawing nearer dark and the sudden threat of rain had driven all the mothers and children back to their homes. Willie made Joe start to walk into the park with the wind blowing leaves up into the air and with no one else around the park would have been scary to Joe.</p><p>But Willie was in control and even though he could feel Joe's fear he made him go deeper into the park anyway. They were walking down the asphalted sidewalk when Willie became aware of Joe rubbing the back of his head. He was rubbing the spot where he had gotten hit and where Willie had been inserted. As Joe continued to rub Willie started to get weaker.</p><p>He could feel his artificial grip on Joe's mind starting to slip. Willie almost started to panic as he wasn't strong enough to make Joe stop. <em>NO!</em> Willie said to himself. <em>I can't let him win. I must meet HIM </em>With that thought in mind Willie tried harder and harder until he finally made Joe's arm stop rubbing the spot. <em>Yes!</em> Willie thought gleefully. It had taken much more strength than he originally thought he had but willie had made Joe stop and Joe was none the wiser.</p><p><em>I must be careful</em> willie said to himself as they walked yet deeper into the middle of the park. <em>Joe was almost back in control</em> Willie thought worriedly. Willie wasn't in complete control of Joe's body and it seemed that Joe was fighting to get his body back. And that was something that Willie could not let happen until he retrieved his creator's desired file.</p><p>Willie was jogged from his artificial thought when Joe fell. <em>Stupid, stupid! </em>Willie berated himself for losing focus. Picking Joe up Willie looked through Joe's eyes to assess the damage done to Joe's body. Torn jeans, skinned knee, and Joe's hands were scraped up bad. If Willie could feel he would have felt guilty, or even sad. But since he was after all artificial and not having been programmed with feelings, he forced Joe to continue onward to the meeting point.</p><p>"What's wrong with the boy? Why is he limping?" Joe's body whirled around in surprise at the voice.</p><p>"He fell. The meeting place was supposed to be farther down was it not?" It creeped the man out to end that the young and surprisingly small boy that stood before him was not in fact in control of his own voice, body, or movements.</p><p>"Yes, Willie but this storm that is blowing up…Well I parked my car quite a way from here and I really don't want to be soaked when I get into the rented car." The man that spoke and had been speaking was the same man who had alerted the boss that Willie's control program had been initiated.</p><p>"Why are we meeting Arnold?" Willie made Joe's voice be filled with it almost seemed to be malice towards the man whom Willie named as Arnold.</p><p>"Boss sent me to keep an eye on you." Arnold shrugged his jacked shoulders carelessly as if he couldn't have been more bored or less interested in the current conversation.</p><p>"Now I understand Arnold. But why are we meeting?"</p><p>"Never mind that Willie!" Arnold's sallow face flushed slightly as he snapped back a retort to the automated machine inside of the poor boy's body. Arnold shook himself of the continually creepy thought of Willie being inside of the boy and calming himself he asked</p><p>"Have you located the file yet?"</p><p>"If I had would we still be here Arnold?" It was Willie's turn to snap but Arnold almost lost half of the sentence as the wind was now blowing so forcefully that blew the words away. "But I think I know where to search Arnold."</p><p>"What will you do if someone catches you?"</p><p>"I will eliminate anyone who gets in my way." With those final words they parted ways. Arnold to run back to his car before the sheets of rain began to slam into the ground. Willie to walk more slowly so Joe didn't fall again on the way back to his bike. Willie had no idea what was going to happen when he got Joe home and the rest of the Hardy family didn't know what they were in for when Willie did get Joe's body home.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sight that had greeted Laura Hardy when she reentered the Hardy residence was one that she had rarely ever seen. It was the sight of her oldest boy sitting at the breakfast table with his head buried in his arms. It seemed normal enough but the quiet intermittent sobs that came from her son weren't normal. Fenton had sat there at the breakfast table with Frank and he was gently rubbing Frank's back in soothing circular motions to their distressed son.</p><p>Frank wasn't the most emotional child and to see hear his little sobs Laura knew would stick with her for a long time. With worry consuming her voice she walked over to Frank and asked her husband what had happened. Fenton told her what Joe had said to Frank. Laura covered her mouth with her hand in shock as Fenton told her exactly what her baby had said to his brother.</p><p>She couldn't believe that Joe could ever say something so horrible let alone to his own brother. She sat down and so the rest of the Hardy family waited for Joe to come home, waiting for him to explain the cruel, heartless words he had said to Frank. Laura knew that something was definitely wrong with Joe now and even though what Joe had said was completely wrong she was their mother, and she felt a slight tug at her heart.</p><p>Because she could see how Joe might have wanted to strike out alone but not in the way Fenton was telling her had happened. Joe had always adored Frank and never wanted to leave his side. But her baby was growing up and apparently needing not to cling to his brother anymore. The kitchen started to darken so Laura got up and turning on the lights she saw the unfinished dinner she had been preparing.</p><p>Not wanting to let the food go to waste she started to finish preparing the food and glancing out the kitchen window often at the rain threatening sky watching for Joe to come home. Laura had just stuck the food back in the oven to keep it warm and it had been raining fiercely for the last half hour when Joe came walking into the house. He was soaked through to the bone and he had a slight shiver that Willie just couldn't seem to make stop.</p><p>Frank stared at Joe and Willie made Joe stare back. Joe just stood there staring back at Frank with no emotion whatsoever on his face.</p><p>"Joe is there something you want to say to your brother?" Fenton's voice was firm, and he gave Joe his best "You know what you did now make it right" face. Alas Willie was a machine and didn't know what Fenton meant or maybe willie did, but he didn't care enough to say anything except</p><p>"Say what Father?" Joe turned his stare from Frank to Fenton with those dull eyes that spooked Fenton.</p><p>"Apologize to your brother Joe for all the awful things you said before you left."</p><p>"Why? I meant everything I said." With that Joe turned to Laura and said "I'm not hungry Mother. I think I'm going to go to my room and change for bed." Joe started walking towards the hall, but Willie suddenly found Joe's path blocked by the enormous build of Fenton. Fenton was about 6 foot and to someone as small as Joe he seemed to tower hundreds of feet over him.</p><p>"No, you aren't Joe." For a second a flash of something, maybe a sparkle of the true Joe made its way to the surface just for a second as he gazed at his dad. Willie was stronger though and down Joe was squashed again as Willie made him say</p><p>"I'm going to my room."</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Young man who do you think you are talking too?" Fenton's voice showed a grim tone of authority that he had never had to use on his son before. His eyes looking down at his son showed a tad of disappointment as he stared in astonishment as his son's disobedience.</p><p>"I'm going to my room so move please Father."</p><p>"When I tell you, you aren't going you aren't Joseph Irving Hardy. Where is this attitude coming from Joe? First you say horrible things to your brother then you refuse to apologize to him and now you are disobeying me? Why Joe? What's wrong?" Frank sat at the table his breath caught in his throat as he waited for his brother's response. Laura stood at the kitchen counter nervously twisting a dishtowel in her pretty hands for she too had never seen her son act like this before.</p><p>"You are ruining everything! Get out of my way." Fenton wasn't sure which surprised him most. The burst of Joe's angry words which Joe yelled at him or Joe's sudden dart to the right of Fenton to get past him and get to the stairs going upstairs. Joe's tiny body though wasn't quick enough for Fenton's cop reflexes. One second Willie was making a run for the stairs and next Joe's body was lifted off the ground and held in the air by Fenton's strong grip.</p><p>"Let the boy go!" Willie had Joe yell forgetting for a second that he was in Joe's mind unknown to the rest of the family that he was in control.</p><p>"What did you say?" Fenton said confusedly looking from the struggling Joe in his hands to Laura's shocked face to Frank's impossibly even more shocked face back to Joe's strange words. Instead of answering Fenton Willie had Joe kick backwards hoping for a hit that would get Joe's body released. Joe kicked and it was a homerun. When Joe kicked, he hit Fenton right in the stomach, the surprise and sudden spurt of pain made Fenton release his grip on Joe.</p><p>Willie was triumphant for a split second before one Joe's wet shoes which if he were in control, he would have taken off at the door contacted the floor and slipped on the linoleum. Joe's balance off he fell backwards, and a sickening thump was heard throughout the kitchen and the hallway as Joe's head made contact.</p><p>"Joe son are you okay?" Fenton kneeled beside his son his eyes wide and afraid of what he had done by letting Joe go. Joe's eyes had shut upon impact and no movement or sound came from the tiny still form laying on the floor. Laura screamed when Joe hit, and she stood frozen her hand gripping the countertop as her knuckles turned white with fear. Frank scrambled out of his chair trying to get to Joe and fell in the process bruising his arm.</p><p>Joe's nonresponse wasn't from Willie not knowing what to say but from the fall itself. When Joe's body fell, and his head hit the floor hard his head hit in such a way that most of the force of contact was upon the place where Joe had been hit before and where the Willie chip was. The chip had been inserted just far enough under the skin that no one could see it but close enough that it wouldn't damage Joe's brain.</p><p>So much force hitting the spot broke Willie. The chip was broken in fragments with a single piece of Willie still connected to Joe. Joe's conscious freed and he was now in control of his body. Joe's eyes popped open and he weakly reached out for his dad. Frank scrambled up from where he fell from his chair and raced over to Joe and their Father.</p><p>Joe's hand gripping Fenton's as hard as he could Joe with a whimper that could melt icebergs said</p><p>"Help me!"</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Hardy family found themselves once again in the frightening familiar waiting room of the Bayport hospital. Joe had been back with the Doc getting a head scan and getting stitched up for about half an hour. Laura was sitting in one of the hard, uncomfortable chairs that Hospitals are associated with. Frank's head was leaning on her shoulder and his brown eyes were soft with a mix of sadness and angst.</p><p>Fenton stood in one place for a minute before he started to pace again. He just couldn't get the image of Joe getting free from his arms and then slipping his head connecting with the ground. And the sound it kept repeating itself over and over in his head the sickening thud as Joe made contact. Fenton sneaked a peek at his wife, but her eyes were downcast, and she refused to look at him.</p><p><em>She blames me for it</em> he thought to himself as he stopped pacing for a moment. <em>She's right to though. It was my fault. If only I hadn't picked him up! If I could have just let him go upstairs, then maybe he wouldn't be back here in the hospital hurt again. It might be my fault but there was something wrong with Joe</em> he confirmed with himself. He started to pace again going over every detail of Joe's behavior ever since he had gotten back from the hospital.</p><p>Laura's thoughts weren't far behind Fenton's as she too thought about Joe's recent change in behavior. <em>Why would Joe say such horrible things to frank?</em> She internally mused to herself. She looked at Frank's face and saw his teary eyes. Her heart cracked just a bit as Frank was still so upset.</p><p>"He will be okay Frankie" Laura said as she tried to comfort her oldest. "Soon he will be back, and we can go see him. I'm sure Joe didn't mean what he said." Laura was startled slightly as Frank lifted his head up and with tears building in his eyes, he said</p><p>"He did mean it Mom and…and… I deserved it"</p><p>"Why do you say that Frank?" Fenton asked his sharp ears picking up on his wife's conversation and then his son's mystifying words.</p><p>"Because…I…I yelled at him when we were back at the house after Mom got shot. I tol…told him that it was all his fau…fault. I… I was really, really mean to him. I wa…was scared because Mom got sh... shot and I took it ou… out on him. I left the house and… and I left him alone and then he got hurt. Joe got hurt because of me!" The tears streamed down his face and his words stuck in his mouth and on his tongue making him stutter with shame and sorrow.</p><p>"You left Joe alone in the house! I told you to stick with him Frank. Especially because me and you Mom weren't there." Fenton's slightly angry words were cut short by his eyes catching Laura glaring at him as she held onto Frank. Fenton took a deep breath and with as calm a voice as he could muster, he asked "Why didn't you tell us this before Frank?"</p><p>"I was afraid you would get mad at me because I… I left Joe alone and because I was ashamed that I let my anger get the better of me." Fenton was a bit taken back that his son was ashamed of his angry actions the weeks before, but he was also proud that Frank was unhappy that he had let his anger cloud his judgment. That Frank knew that letting his anger cloud his thinking was wrong.</p><p>Before Fenton could tell Frank that It was alright a Doctors voice broke through the noise of the busy waiting room.</p><p>"Family of Joe Hardy."</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>SO all mistakes, errors are mine!! and so are the Original Characters!!! </p><p> Disclaimer: I do not own the hardy boy characters, family, or their setting and friends. They belong to Franklin. W. Dixon and their respective publishers. I have only tied them up and kidnapped them for my own amusement. No ransom note was sent, or money received for this story. purely for the enjoyment of Joe and Frank hardy lovers.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"The wound wasn't very deep but when we probed it looking for anything that might have gotten into it, we discovered something that was very puzzling." The doctor in his pristinely white though slightly wrinkled lab coat stopped to push his rectangular glasses higher up on his nose and after glancing at the Hardy's worried faces offered a sympathetic smile before continuing. "Now I checked his medical records, but I need to double check with you. Your son hasn't had a chip for medical or other purposes put into and under his skin has he?"</p><p>Fenton's shocked face and stuttering words of "No, absolutely not!" confirmed the doctors fear that it had been implanted without knowledge.</p><p>"This is very disturbing and I'm frightened to admit confirms what I thought when we pulled out the pieces." The Doctor was interrupted when Frank's seemingly rather small voice piped up and spoke</p><p>"The chip was in pieces? So, it broke while it was still in him?" the Doc with a smile of comfort for Frank looked down at him and answered his questions in his cool and soothingly calm voice.</p><p>"Yes, it did break. What's your name?"</p><p>"Its Frank. I'm Joe's big brother." The Doc smiled at Frank with understanding</p><p>"Well, big brother Frank it seems that when Joe fell, he fell such a certain way that when his head hit the ground it broke the chip into a bunch of tiny pieces." This time Fenton interrupted but the Doctor stopped and listened with patience to the Father of the little boy lying unconscious in one of the ER cubicles.</p><p>"Did you get all of the pieces out of him?" Fenton's face showed his worry, and it filled his voice.</p><p>"Unfortunately, no we didn't. We got all the loose pieces out that had been broken but there is a single piece that is still attached to Joe. We want your permission to run a series of tests to determine exactly where it is attached in your son, what it is doing to your son, and hopefully how we can get it out without more damage."</p><p>"Yes, do whatever you have to do to get it out of my son." The doctor nodded his head and in turning to leave Laura who had remained quiet the whole time asked softly</p><p>"Will it hurt him?"</p><p>"I'm sorry" the doctor said as he couldn't quite hear Laura's question through the hustle and bustle of the busy hospital waiting room.</p><p>"Doing all the tests. It won't hurt him will it?" her blue eyes shone soft in the harsh hospital white as they filled with long pushed back tears. The Doctor walked over to her and squatting in front of her he said with a voice filled with comfort</p><p>"My one goal is to make your son better. No, these tests are not invasive and in no way should they hurt your son. But we do need to know what that chip was and is doing in your son and what it did and might still be doing to him. The chip could be hurting him Mrs. Hardy and we need these tests to find out."</p><p>"Do them but please don't hurt my baby." He patted her hand promising her he wouldn't with a small smile and straightened himself up.</p><p>"Code Yellow, code Yellow from patient cubicle 15."</p><p>"Oh, no that's Joe's room."</p><p>"What's a code yellow?" Laura's frightened voice asked</p><p>The Doctor started to run to the hallway, but he called over his shoulder</p><p>"it means that Joe is missing."</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
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    <p>To say that Joe was scared would be an understatement. Joe was terrified. Terrified like he had never been before. He had woken up in a strange brightly white room that hurt his eyes to look at. His head hurt and when he tried to remember what happened it was all blank. He couldn't remember anything and that scared him.</p><p>He looked at his body and noticed that he was wearing some sort of hospital gown. Lifting his right hand, he saw the hospital bracelet that confirmed that he was in a hospital. Twisting the bracelet on his wrist around he saw a name, <strong>Joe Hardy</strong> written on the band. <em>Joe Hardy</em>, that name almost seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't remember.</p><p>Joe wondered why it was written on his hospital band. It wasn't his name was it? No, he discarded the idea at once. If it was his name, then he would know that it was his name. He would remember his name. Wouldn't he? Joe's head started to pound fiercely, and the thought was gone from his mind just like that. As the pounding lessened Joe got off the bed and when he moved his left arm he gasped in surprise and pain as a sharp twinge of pain in his arm stopped him cold.</p><p>Joe's head whipped around his eyes round with some unknown fear gripping his heart. He let out a big breath when he saw that it was just a needle in his arm giving him fluids. He gently pulled it out wincing as he did. He slid the rest of the way off the bed and realized something. He was short. Noticeably short. He ran a hand through his hair as he tried to remember how old he was.</p><p>The number 12 surfaced in his mind and seemed to have some significance. So, he guessed that he was 12. Joe looked down and saw how short he was once again and decided that he must be the tiniest 12-year-old ever. He shrugged and peeking out from behind the blueish/ white curtain which surrounded the hospital bed he looked out upon the busy emergency room.</p><p>As his eyes followed the various doctors in white coats and the various nurses in their colored scrubs, he got the insatiable urge to escape. Escape from who or what he didn't know but the urge to leave and somehow be free was getting stronger. The urge resurfaced the question of how he got to the hospital and why he was in it back to the front of his mind.</p><p>Suddenly Joe felt cold, chills went up and down his spine, and he got the irreversible impression that danger was nearby. His eyes roved the room and rested on a tall man wearing a black trench coat standing just inside the Emergency doors leading into the hospital. His face was long, narrow, and in his right hand he held a cigarette. The mystery man put the cigarette out when an orderly told him that the hospital was a no smoking area.</p><p>The man looked around the room and Joe closed the curtain hurriedly when he caught the man staring right at him. He peeked out of the curtain again and the man was staring at him sending another wave of shills down Joe's back. Backing away from the curtain frightened Joe's head started to pound. He put his hands on his head, letting them slide through his hair and down to his neck and that's when he felt it.</p><p>There were stiches at the base of his skull and when he pressed on it, he got dizzy really dizzy and for a second he got the sensation that he wasn't alone in his mind. He took his hands off his neck and shook the shook his body as if to make the feeling fall from him. The urge to escape rose inside of him again and this time he ran.</p><p>Not once did Joe think about the possibility of having a family and of course he didn't remember having one. Willie might have been broken up, but one piece of Willie could still do a whole lot of damage.</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
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    <p>The Hardy family helped the Doctor and some of the nurses search the hospital for Joe but after 2 hours of searching he was nowhere to be found. Fenton and Laura didn't want to give up but decided that Frank should go home. He protested wildly but Laura calming him down told him that if Joe went home then somebody should be there. Frank saw the logic in his Mother's wisdom and agreed.</p><p>The Hardy home seemed so empty and lonely when Frank unlocked and opened the kitchen door. The dinner dishes were still on the table holding the remnants of their meal and Frank shuddered when he came to the spot where he saw Joe struggle free from his fathers grasp and fall. There was a bit of blood on the tile still<em>. Joe's blood</em>.</p><p>Frank might have been a smart, and logical thinking 13-year-old but he was also scared, and young emotions overpower logic and brains every time. Tiptoeing over the slightly bloodied tile he raced up the stair and dashed into Joe's room. He flung himself onto Joe's bed and buried his face into his younger brother's pillow.</p><p>All Frank wanted was to know that his brother didn't hate him. He wanted his younger brother back safe and sound. <em>Please Joe! Come home. </em>At that moment closer than Frank ever could have imagined Joe was slipping through the streets wearing too big, borrowed clothes he had found in the hospital. The weather had turned a bit chillier as the storm was still hanging over Bayport and Joe shivered as the wind started to pick up.</p><p>Storm made it dark outside and it was rapidly getting darker as it was starting to turn from evening into night. The feeling of danger was still going strong and made Joe hide in a bush or behind a tree every time a car drove by. He peeked out from behind the bush as the car went down the street and turned left. Letting loose a sigh of relief that his hurt 12 -year-old brain didn't fully comprehend he went back onto the sidewalk only to be picked up by a car's headlights a moment later.</p><p>Joe continued to walk not daring to look behind him. He continued to walk unable to duck behind a tree since he knew that he had already been seen and to do so now would have been suspicious. When the car didn't pass him, he chanced a look behind him. The headlights blinded him for a second before he was able to decipher who was in the car. Terror struck Joe as he discerned that it was the smoking man who had been at the hospital earlier.</p><p>The smoking man stopped the car, leaving it running got out of the car and called to Joe</p><p>"I'm not going to hurt you." The man sounded sincere enough, but Joe didn't want to find out. Not waiting to hear more Joe turned and ran off down the sidewalk before veering off the sidewalk, disappearing into the darkness and a forest that spread across 3 miles of Bayport.</p><p>The man ran after Joe but the darkness swallowed Joe up, so he walked back to his car and drove to down the road searching for the boy he desperately wanted to find. When he finally admitted defeat, he knew that there was only one thing left to do. He had a change of heart when he was at the hospital and saw Joe with the most awful expression of fear on his face that the man knew no child should ever have.</p><p>Cursing lightly as he knew what he was about to do surely signed his death warrant he got into the car and drove away. He pulled up to the Bayport Police Department 10 minutes later and sighing he got out and walked through the front door. He walked up to an officer's desk and noted that it read Bennington. The younger man who must have been in his late 20's looked up from his computer and smiling asked</p><p>"Can I help you sir?" The man was suddenly overcome with a desire to live and if he told them everything he was going to be killed by his boss. So, shaking his head his eyes full of shame at his weakness he turned and muttered</p><p>"No, no sorry to bother you." Cole Bennington frowned after the retreating man and turned back to his computer.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
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    <p>The wind howled and Joe's head snapped up as a twig cracked behind him. He stopped and listened his breath being held in so much fear. His body jerked when the squirrel came into view and letting his breath out shakily, he turned to trudge on. He was lost, cold, and in fear of what he wasn't quite certain. He walked on in the darkness stumbling over stones, fallen branches, and tripping on hidden vines.</p><p>He grew excited when he saw an exit from the forest, and he walked more quickly to get out of the suffocating darkness. He withdrew from the forest and was amazed to find the territory around him feeling oddly familiar. He started walking not sure where he was going except that he felt drawn by a heart that hurt if he tried to go in another direction. So, he walked and walked and walked until he came outside of a beautiful Victorian style house with a big elm tree out in front.</p><p>He walked up the short driveway and felt as if he had come home. Not allowing his mind enough time to think he ran the rest of the way to the door and flung it open. He walked through the hallway and into a kitchen that felt so familiar, but he couldn't quite remember as if something was blocking him. He walked to the table and ran his fingers on the edge of one of the plates with food left on the table.</p><p>His body shivered as the feeling of a forgotten and lonely house invaded his mind. He turned to leave when something on one of the tiles caught his eye. Joe walked over to it and bent down to examine it. It was a dark red something that seemed to have hardened onto the tile… it was blood. He jumped back as the realization hit him. He whirled around and took one hurried step forward when a voice stopped him.</p><p>"Joe?"</p><p>He froze and slowly turned with eyes bright filled with dread. He saw a boy standing maybe 8 feet away from him with a look of astonishment, relief, and panic staring at him.</p><p>"Oh, Joe" Joe felt as if for a second he was able to think clearly and he remembered everything. His short legs not moving fast enough for him he stumbled back to Frank. Joe reached Frank and flung himself into arms and with it he felt the warmth of brotherly love he couldn't believe that he had ever forgotten.</p><p>Frank closed his arms around Joe's tiny body and buried his face in Joe's dirty and gritty blond hair. They stood there for neither knew how long but it was long enough for both to apologize, forgive and forget all wrongdoings without speaking a word or making a sound. Frank opened his eyes when he felt Joe's body get heavier and he realized that he had fallen asleep.</p><p>Frank picked him up with lingering tears and carried his small and alarmingly light brother into the living room where he gently set him on the couch and covered him with the available blanket. Frank then ran to the phone and at once called his father's cellphone. He told them what had happened, and he could hear Laura's teary gasp of relief over the phone.</p><p>Fenton told him that they would leave immediately and would be home in 10 minutes and to keep an eye on Joe.</p><p>Frank promised him and hung up the phone. He went back to the living room and gasped when he saw that Joe was missing. He spun himself in a circle looking for Joe before running to the front door thinking he had left. Frank stopped when he heard shuffling from the floor above him. he raced up the stairs and followed the sounds to Fenton's office. He pushed open the big wooden door and his eyes fell upon Joe standing in the middle of the room holding a single pale folder in his hands.</p><p>Joe looked at Frank and with eyes shining with excitement he said</p><p>"I found what they are looking for Frank!"</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
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    <p>The cigarette man sat in his car his hands gripping the steering wheel tight in frustration. He knew what he had to do but dang it! He also wanted to live. His hands slowly relaxed and slid off the steering wheel. He leaned back in the seat and drew a deep breath. He didn't deserve to live, not after what he had done. He took his phone out of his pocket and getting out of the car he went around to the trunk.</p><p>Inserting the key, he lifted the lid and the light of the phone lit up a small part of the trunk. It was filled with boxes of documents. Documents that incriminated his boss and everyone else who had taken part of the dastardly deeds. They shot a mom, put a chip in a small boy, mind and body controlled him and all for what?</p><p>The cigarette man knew what it was all for, but it seemed so stupid now. He slammed the trunk closed and getting back into the car he drove away. 5 minutes later a call was received by the police about a Joe Hardy being spotted going into the forest. When they asked who it was, they were abruptly hung up on. He ended the call and put the cellphone beside him as he drove. The cigarette man had called for Help for Joe and when they found him, he would turn in all the evidence to the police.</p><p>"What do you mean you know what they're looking for? Wait. You mean the burglar that shot Mom?" Frank asked unsure of what Joe was saying.</p><p>"I think so." Joe said his eyes big as they stared Frank. Frank rushed over to Joe and together they opened the file and read its contents.</p><p>"Frank, I don't get it. Who is this YANEM company?" Joe looked up at his big brother and Frank shrugged his shoulder as he too was unsure who they were.</p><p>"I don't know Joe but how do you know that this is what the bad guys were looking for?" Frank stopped and his chestnut brown eyes got big as he remembered what the doctor had said at the hospital. "J-Joe you got a chip in your head!" he blurted it out before thinking how Joe would react to the news and he clamped a hand over his mouth and stared in horror, but it was too late.</p><p>Joe dropped the file to the floor with a soft thud and looked at Frank with wild and confused vividly blue eyes. "Wha-What d-do yo-you mean I have a ch-chi-chip in my head Frank?" Joe suddenly raised his hands to his head and started to claw at the back of his neck where the stiches were. "Get it out. Get it out Frank! GET IT OUT!" Joe was fast becoming hysterical and Frank went to Joe quickly and pulled his arms away from the back of his neck.</p><p>When Joe's arms went back up as soon as Frank let his arms go. He held his arms down and pulled Joe into a hug. Joe struggled but Frank who was bigger and stronger than Joe refused to budge an inch. Joe started to calm down as he felt the warmth of his brother's body making him sleepy. Frank grimaced when he looked down and saw the back of Joe's neck. A bit of blood was trickling out from where Joe had pulled one of his stiches out.</p><p>Before either one of them could move or say a word the sound of smashing glass filled the air and then the unmistakable sound of a door downstairs being unlocked. Someone was in the house! Frank didn't know what to do and things got even ore complicated when he felt Joes body sag once more in his arms. Joe was asleep, an intruder was in the house and Frank was all alone. the only thing he could think of was to hide.</p><p>He scooped Joe up into his arms and stopping only for a nano-second to pick up the important file on the ground he quietly rushed them into Joe's room to hide. Frank had barely managed to cover themselves up from being seen when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. They got closer and closer and closer until they reached the top of the stairs. The person turned and walked down the hall to where Joe's room was.</p><p>Frank held his breath and put his hand over Joe's mouth just in case he woke up and made a sound. this time the footsteps were practically on top of them, Frank felt as if every step that the person took shook his very bones. Closer, closer, and closer…</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
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    <p>Strange, suspicious, suspect. Those were just a few things that crossed Officer Cole Bennington's mind. He watched as the man slowly left the police department building and went down the steps to the parking lot. He couldn't shake the feeling that the man who had just left had known something important. Thankfully, he had an amazing memory and artistic skills. 5 minutes later and he had a perfect drawing of the man jus tin case later down the road someone needed to know.</p><p>He heard one of the officers radioing Con Riley who was out looking for Joe and telling him that th police department had been tipped that someone saw Joe going into the forest about 15 minutes away from the department and 10 minutes from the hospital. Cole knew which forest they ere talking about and he cringed. There had been a lost kid in those woods in his third year with the police department.</p><p>It had been a severely wintry night; the forest had been so dense and thick that I shut out most of the moonlight that night and by the time the kid had been found they were too late. He rested his elbows on his cluttered desk and putting his head in his hands he sighed. He liked the Hardy boys, especially Joe. It had seemed that Joe had taken a special liking to him too if the first time he had met them had any say about it.</p><p>
  <em>He was sitting at his desk finishing up boring paperwork and nervously excited waiting for when his Sergeant Con Riley would tell him he could get out on the streets. He finished his paperwork stacking it neatly into a pile on his desk and leaned back in his chair with an exhausted sigh. A small hiccup startled Cole awake from a light doze into which he had fallen. He looked around bewildered for the source of the sound. Another small hiccup made Cole look down and blink in amazement at what he saw.</em>
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  <em>An exceedingly small child who had to be 1 and a half to two considering his size and how little there was of him. Cole looked around for a parent frantically looking for their toddler but not seeing anyone and felling a tug on his pant leg his gaze once more fell upon the child and he now noticed the boy's extremely beach blond hair. The child had his thumb in his mouth, and he stared up at Cole with the big sparkling blue eyes that seemed almost too big for his tiny head.</em>
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  <em>The child lifted his arms up obviously wanting Cole to pick him up. Cole who had been an only child and had never really held a kid before shook his head and looked around for the boy's parents once again. His attention was caught when the boys started to whine and when Cole looked the big blue eyes had tears that had started to brim. Figuring that a quiet child and not a screaming kid was better Cole leaned down and awkwardly picked up the kid and set him on his lap.</em>
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  <em>The tears at once vanished, and he giggled when Cole sat him on his lap. Looking up at Cole he took his thumb out of his mouth he declared happily.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Yous big like giant. I's like you." With that said the boy plopped his thumb back in his mouth and started to play with Cole's computer's mouse on his desk. In all of his life no one had ever told him that they had liked him with such sweet innocent eyes before. Cole decided that he liked this kid and smiled every time the kid laughed or giggled in glee as he played with everything and anything that was on Cole's desk. He had made sure to put all sharp and dangerous things in his desk's drawer.</em></p><p>
  <em>1o minutes later Fenton franticly came across Joe sitting happily in Cole's lap playing with a capped pen. Fenton smiled and apologized for Joe. Cole smiled and said that he enjoyed the little's rascals' company and to forget about it. Fenton took Joe from Cole's arms and told him to say thank you to the nice man. Cole introduced himself and told Joe that it was very nice to meet him. Fenton introduced himself, and Joe and talked for a minute with Cole about how long he had been with the department and stuff like that.</em>
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  <em>Cole asked him how old he was and when Joe held up 4 fingers he looked from Joe to Fenton and back to Joe again in amazement. Joe giggled and held out his arms for Cole. Cole took Joe and putting his small arms around Cole's neck he hugged him and said.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You's like giant in Jack ands the beanstalk." Cole smiled and told him that yes, he guessed he was like the giant. Joe smiling brightly that he had been right went back to Fenton's arm's and before they left Joe said.</em></p><p>"<em>I's love you giant! By-BY" Cole waved goodbye and a littler later he looked up and saw that Joe, and his father had apparently stopped to pick up another child. This one most certainly looked like a 5-year-old. He was skinny and had light mahogany brown hair. </em>Cole snapped out of it when he heard that the forest needed to be searched. He at once went to the Sergeant in charge and asked to be let in on the search. The Sergeant allowed him, and Cole went back to his desk to gather some things up and then with the rest of the officers left to go search and hopefully find Joe hardy.</p><p>Frank breathed his sigh of relief quietly out through his nose as the footsteps which were surely going to haunt him inn his dreams later continued down the hall and went into what Frank guessed was Fenton's study. Frank knew that if they stayed in the house with the intruder and the intruder didn't find what he was looking for he was going to start searching the whole house. Which meant they would surely be found and that was something that Frank wasn't going to allow happen.</p><p>Being quieter than he had ever been in his life Frank slowly uncovered himself and Joe from the hidden box in the far back of Joe's closet. He picked his brother up and put him on his back piggyback style. Joe's small, dee breaths on the back of Frank's neck help alleviate some of his fears and helped strengthen his resolve to get both out of the dire situation. He went to the door shifting Joe's small weight on his back so he could open the door and hope that it didn't squeak and reveal them to the intruder.</p><p>Luck was with them though as the door was just as quiet as Frank was and slowly, he stepped out of the room and into the hallway. He heard rustling sounds coming from Fenton's study and his eyes got wide when the intruder swore aloud. Going slowly, he went down the thankfully silent stairs and finally reaching the bottom he opened the door and with Joe on his back eh slipped out the back and into their backyard.</p><p>Relieved that they were almost free and away from the danger Frank realized that his parents were going to come home, and the intruder might hurt them. There was a tree in the backyard and Frank went to it and put Joe down behind it. Joe was hidden from view of the house and anywhere else. Frank whispered.</p><p>"I'm sorry Joe." Before taking the papers out of the file and leaving them tucked under Joe's arm. He took the empty folder and straightened up. He then with his mind made up headed back in the direction of the house. He was going to make sure that when his parent got home, they wouldn't be hurt, and neither would Joe get hurt anymore. Opening the back door back up he snuck up the stairs and went to the open door of his father's study. He was a big man, pudgy and short in stature. "looking for this?" Frank asked his voice sounding small to him.</p><p>The man turned startled and his small eyes narrowed when he saw the file in Frank's hands.</p><p>"Why you little twerp!" with that the man lunged at Frank but rather than getting the file he got a face full of carpet as Frank skillfully jumped out of the way. He had been a mess before worried sick about Joe and feeling guilty, but he and Joe had, and Joe had made up and forgiven each other and Joe was safe. So then was the time for Frank to do what he hadn't been able to do when Joe had gotten hurt at the beginning of the entire mess. Protect his little brother.</p><p>"Catch me if you can sucker!" Frank ran out of the room and down the stairs the man's heavy footsteps closing in on him fast. He went out the front door and dashed down the street the pudgy man dumbly following him and getting farther and farther away from Joe and what he was after.</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
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    <p>Frank ran, the frigid wind whipping his face and making his eyes water. He didn't have to worry about checking behind himself to see if the pudgy man was following him. frank could hear the man's heavy breaths behind him clearly in the night air. He didn't know where he was going or what was going to happen when he would have to eventually stop. Frank's body was already growing tired and he didn't know how much longer he was going to be able to stay ahead and out of reach of the man behind him who scarily seemed to get closer to him all the time.</p><p>A car's headlights blinded him for a second and he squinted against the pain of the sudden brightness. The car zoomed past Frank who was on the sidewalk and as it passed him time seemed to freeze. His left foot forward about to set down on the concrete, his arms frozen mid forward swing in his haste to get away from the man. His heartbeat slowed and the roar of blood in his ears seemed to lessen like a tide that recedes back into the ocean. Even the wind seemed to have stopped mid gust as a lone tear slid down Laura's face and caught her older son's eye.</p><p>For that split second Frank could feel her worry for them and it made his heart ache at how much more she was going to worry when she didn't find him with Joe at home. The second passed though and the wheels of the car spun, Frank's foot hit the concrete, his arms finished their swing, his momentum began, and he was running again. Running from the man behind him and away the safety of his family. A tear matching his mother's slid down his cheek when he looked back and saw his parent's car going out of view. "I'm sorry" he whispered as two more tear slid down his cold cheeks before he wiped them away and ran even harder.</p><p>In that moment Frank had decided to keep running and not call out too or find some way to get his parents attention and it was the hardest moment he had ever faced. He was a 13-year-old boy who was in danger and he was scared. The urgency to keep this bad guy away from his family and his precious little brother had awakened something in him. Something that words couldn't seem to describe but in that split moment Frank had matured when faced with danger and that maturity would stick with him for the rest of his life. The feeling of finally being able to do something, to protect someone had been granted to him. So, he ran faster and harder than he had ever ran.</p><p>His breath was getting shorter and his muscles burned with pain. No matter how hard he sucked the cold night air into his lungs it didn't ease the pain. He looked back and froze when he couldn't see the pudgy man behind him. As Frank thought about it the last quarter mile or so he hadn't even heard the man's breath behind him either. what surprised frank even more was that he just then realized that he wasn't on the sidewalk anymore. There were trees everywhere and the slits of moonlight lit up patches of grass and tangled underbrush.</p><p>He was in a forest and Frank was quite sure that he was lost.</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
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    <p>Joe slowly became aware of vague noises then voices that got louder then softer as if someone were controlling the volume on a radio that was almost tuned in to a radio station, but the voices and music were still garbled from static. He opened his eyes and for the briefest of seconds he panicked as his eyes saw nothing except heart shattering blackness. Joe thought that he had gone blind but when he raised his hand, he could very faintly see the outline of said hand.</p><p>His eyes were adjusting to the dark and Joe could make out in the inky blackness part of the fence in their backyard. He felt behind him and realized that it was a tree upon which he was leaning. Raising himself from the ground he jerked, his back hitting the tree behind him rather hard when something fell off his body and fluttered to the ground. Unclenching his hands, he reached down to the ground and picked up the object. It was several pieces of paper stapled together.</p><p>A gasp escaped his cold lips as memories of the day flooded back.</p><p>"JOOOOOOOEEEEE!" Fenton yelled out into the night air, his panic at not finding his two sons safe at home, making his voice ten times as powerful as it usually was.</p><p>Joe flinched slightly at the sound but relaxed instantly as he recognized his father's powerful voice. Pushing himself off the tree yet keeping a hand on it to steady himself he walked round the tree. He felt unstable slightly but more like himself little by little. He closed his hand into a fist and put it over his heart. Unknown to Frank he had been conscious enough to hear what Frank had said to him and know that Frank had lured the danger away from Joe.</p><p>"I'm coming for you brother. This time I'll save you." He whispered his promise aloud, raising his head to twinkling night sky before getting back to business. "Oh" he said surprised at feeling a warm liquid starting to glide down his neck. Putting his hand on his neck he felt something hard poking out. Grimacing with pain as it hurt thankfully only for a second, he pulled it out with little resistance. It was too dark to see it clearly, so he put it in his pocket for later. Taking his hand off the tree he slowly started walking back to his house which glowed dimly in the darkness.</p><p>"DAAAADD!" Joe yelled back tired as he got closer and closer to his house. Fenton froze not daring to believe his ears. He was worried sick but hearing Joe call out to him he prayed that it wasn't just his imagination. "DAAAAD!" Fenton's face lit up as he Joe called once more and came into the light which emitted from the house into, the backyard.</p><p>"Joe? Joe!" Fenton ran rom his position at the back door of the house and ran into the backyard to his son. Reaching him Fenton stopped short remembering what the doctor had said about a piece of a chip that remained in Joe. He put his hands-on Joe's shoulders never noticing until now how pale he looked in the dim light and how small he truly was. "Are you okay son?"</p><p>Joe smiled up at his father happy to see him.</p><p>"Yeah, I think I'm okay Dad. We found what they were looking for Dad." Ignoring Fenton's surprised expression, he took one of his dad's hands from his shoulders and pressed into his palm the papers that Frank had left with him. "But Dad another guy broke into the house, but Frank hid us. He hid me in the backyard and ran away making the guy follow him. We have to find him Dad!" Joe's eyes welled up at the last part he had to save his brother. He just had to!</p><p>Fenton's worried eyes softened at seeing Joe's tears. "We'll find him Joe, don't worry. Do you know which direction that he ran in?"</p><p>Joe shook his head miserable at not being able to tell him anything useful. "I was really out of it and after Frank left me by the tree, I don't remember anything until I woke up just now. Guess I must have blacked out while Frank led the guy away. I should have after him! done something to help him!" The miserable tone in his voice got worse as he wondered how he was going to be able to save his brother when before he couldn't even save himself. It was his fault that Frank was now God knew where and Joe was safe. He could have done something, anything! Why was he so dang weak!</p><p>Fenton not missing a beat took his other hand off Joe's shoulder and cupped his chin in his big hand. He tilted Joe's head up until Joe's eyes looked at him. "Don't beat yourself up Joe. Its not your fault. Frank did what he thought was best to protect you. You're not weak Joe." Joe's eyes held awe at his father who had seemed to read his mind. Fenton smiled gently and continued "Don't forget Joe you've been through a lot and been in the hospital multiple times. You're hurt Joe but you're without a shadow of a doubt, absolutely, cross my heart and hope to die, not weak. You could have run after Frank when you woke up Joe, but you didn't.</p><p>"You decided that you wouldn't be able to help Frank on your own and so instead of leaving you came to me. only someone who is strong can know when he is not strong enough to do it on his own."</p><p>While Joe pondered on what his father said Fenton guided him into the house and into Laura's frantic arms as he went and informed the police that Joe had been found but now Frank was missing with a criminal after him. the police officer went to inform Con Riley and the other officers while Fenton looked at the papers that Joe had given to him.</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>in case you wanted to listen to some music while you read this this these are the songs I listened to while I wrote it. (All of these songs are on youtube). I started of listening go this song, Owl City - The Real World, and then switched back and forth with Owl City - Be Brave (Acoustic Version) and Owl City - Not All Heroes Wear Capes (Acoustic). I hope ya'll enjoy the chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chirp, bzrrrrr, ribbit, hoo-hoooo, ribbit, snap! Frank jerked his head eyes straining in the dark to see if someone else was there. So many night sounds that had never bothered him before suddenly took power and roared in his ears. An owl hooting, a frog croaking, they all seemed foreign to Frank somehow as if before that night he had never truly heard them, that was at least partly true though. Frank had never been lost in the woods by himself in fear and heard the harmless nighttime sounds as something other than harmless.</p><p>Every sound could potentially hold the criminal that was after Frank and that made every noise amplify in his pounding heart and raise their volume a thousandfold in his ears. He had fallen a couple of times in the dark, tripping over tree roots or a rut that he didn't notice until it was too late. He had on only his jeans, shoes, and a light long sleeve t shirt which did nothing to keep him warm from the wind that whistled harshly through the trees.</p><p>The world had seemed to have forgotten about him as he stumble through the dark afraid, alone, and worried like no other 12-year-old child should be worried. "Ahhhhrgg" Frank cried when yet another rut had appeared under his feet his cry of surprise turning into anguish as pain shot through his ankle. He hunched down his arms holding his knees together and one of his hands clutching his ankle as hot flashes seared up his leg.</p><p>His grip on his leg loosened when he felt something sliding down his cheek. Frank put his hand to his face and lightly touched his cheek in wonder. He was crying. "Fraannnnkkkkk" He froze when he thought he heard someone calling his name. He rose from the ground and clenched his teeth when he tried to put weight on his foot. He wouldn't be able to walk on it but if he could alert them to his position then he could just stay there until they found him. He opened his mouth his voice about to scream out the voice of hope that called for him his mouth closed again, and he knew that he couldn't.</p><p>Frank wasn't so selfish as to save himself when he could be alerting the bad guy to his location and the spot where his rescuer would be racing too. One, two, three, he breathed out long and slow his shoulders starting to shake from the cold, the strain. He lowered himself to the ground and hugging his knees to his chest he struggled to stay calm and silent. "FRRRAANNNKKKKK!" The voice called again it sounded so desperate yet hopeful that Frank would hear it and call out with his own voice.</p><p>Frank bit his lip so hard that the skin broke and blood trickled out. He pressed his face into his knees and tried not to cry, he tried so hard his heart wanting nothing more than to call back and get out of the creepy forest, but his head and his logic prohibited him, so he cried. The tears chilling his already cold cheeks and his heart as he heard the call again and again and again, but he remained silent. His muffled sobs and quiet whimpers sounding so weak and helpless that even the wind seemed to take pity as its earlier cold ferociousness lessened until it was more of a gentle chilly reminder that it was still winter.</p><p>Officer Cole Bennington who had been out in the forest with other officers searching for Joe had heard his radio cackle with static and come to life. He was informed that Joe had been found relatively unharmed but that now Frank was missing. A description of Frank and what he was wearing the last he was seen was given. Cole grimaced when the officer on the radio said that they didn't know what direction that Frank had gone but that it was probable that Frank was in a five-mile radius spreading in every direction from the Hardy house.</p><p>The other officers started to go back to the squad cars and start from the Hardy house and spread out. Several of the officers including Cole decided to keep searching the forest. Cole relayed his plans to his sergeant and after getting the okay plunged deeper into the dark, wooded forest, the only light coming from his flashlight that cut through the dark like a knife and a bit of weak moonlight that filtered through the trees creating weird shapes on the forest's floor.</p><p>"Fraannnnkkkkk!" He yelled out stopping, waiting, straining with his ears to hear Frank answer and with his heart that Frank would and could still answer him. Cole was an only child and he had sometimes wished that he had a little brother. He had never dreamed that when he moved from the countryside to Bayport and got into the police force that he would find not one but two little boys who were as dear to him as if they were his brothers. First was Joe that day his little face had stared up at him and begged him with eyes so big and blue to be held on his lap. He stopped his searching again and yelled with all his might "FFFRRRRAAAANNNKKKKK!".</p><p>Second was Frank about a week later. Joe upon seeing Cole had at once ran to Cole with Frank being pulled behind him their hands clasping each other's. Cole had smiled at seeing the cute sight of brotherly love. Joe on his lap and jabbering away about a cool book that Frank was reading to him Frank had stood quiet and silent by Cole's desk not moving to join in the conversation but rather staring up at the big clock that was on the far wall of the police station. Cole noticing Frank's fascination had taken something out of his desk. Cole had nudged Frank and then put it in the youngster's hands. It was an old small standup clock that his parent shad given to him before they had passed away.</p><p>Frank with eyes wide open in amazement and wonder had smiled for the first time up at Cole and Cole's heart warmed at the sight. Ever since then Frank, and Joe went to the police station every week with their dad when he visited Con Riley and had different things to do with cases. Sometimes Cole would be out as he was on Patrol, but he tried his hardest to be there when ever the boys came to visit. Whenever Frank and Joe did miss Cole because he was on Patrol Fenton had always noted their sad expressions.</p><p>So, the tradition of Cole coming over for dinner at least once or twice a week was born. Laura and Fenton came to love Cole just as much as their two boys did. Cole didn't have any family of his own left, so the love of the Hardy family made his own heart ache a little less at what he had lost. Now Frank and the Hardy family were in trouble and Cole ached just as bead as they did. He had already been searching for Joe for an hour and a half when he was told that Joe was found but now Frank had been lost. His hands were cold, and his ears felt frozen, yet he pushed on.</p><p>He wasn't going to stop until Frank had been found. His radio crackled again but the voice that was speaking was lost to Cole as he heard something ahead of him. "Frank?" he called softly not wanting to startle him if it was Frank. Pushing forward he came to some pushes he went through and winced as he felt something pierce his pants and cut slightly into this skin. Ignoring it for the time being he finished getting through the bushes.</p><p>Stepping onto the ground on the other side of the bushes his eyes went wide with shock, worry, relief, and lastly love as from his dirtied clothes and knees Frank raised his crying eyes and upon seeing Cole cried out so softly and helplessly "Cole?". Before Cole could move a muscle, his radio crackled to life again and through slight static came Con Riley's voice and what he said chilled Cole to the bone. "Repeat, there is a criminal chasing Frank Hardy by the name of Charles Luthorne. He is dangerous and may be armed. It is unclear whether he has Frank Hardy or not, but it is possible that he is still within the vicinity looking for him. Stay sharp and be careful. Sergeant Con Riley out."</p><p>Cole came to life after the transmission ended and rushed over to Frank.</p><p>"Are you okay Frank? Does it hurt anywhere?" Cole asked as he slipped off his own jacket and wrapped it around the shivering boy. Frank nodded his head and pointed to his ankle then looked up at Cole with tears lingering in his eyes.</p><p>"It hurts. I-I thin-think it might be sprained." Cole nodded his head and with his eyes full of kindness tenderly took of franks shoe and felt his ankle.</p><p>"Yeah, buddy it's sprained all right. But no to bad thankfully it should be a lot better in a day or two." Frank nodded and held out his arms to Cole. Cole was confused for moment as what Frank wanted. He looked into Frank's eyes and saw exactly what he had seen those years ago when he had first met Joe. Except now they were Frank's big brown eyes that looked up at him with tears starting to brim. Frank had been brave, responsible, and mature way ahead of his years for it seemed like eternity.</p><p>Now all he wanted was to be comforted as a 12-year-old child who was scared, tired, and hurt. Frank wanted to be a child and Cole smiled as he realized it. Leaning down even farther he scooped Frank up into his arms and being careful of his ankle he stood up. Frank's arms wrapped around his neck and nestled his head into Cole's shoulder. Smiling Cole started to walk back the way he came one flashlight in one hand as both hos arms held Frank close to his chest. So, this what being a big brother is like Cole thought with a smile. Cole heard a twig snapping behind him but was a second too late int running around.</p><p>"Don't move a muscle Cop or you die and then the kid dies." Cole stood still where he was an exhausted and sleeping Frank in his arms and a gun barrel nudging his spine.</p><p>Fenton had read through the file his eyes getting bigger and bigger until Joe looking up from his seat where his mother was cleaning and bandaging the back of his neck thought that his head was going to explode. Fenton finished reading the documents and folding them angrily in half had stalked off with his head still fully intact to alert Con riley of what he had learned. The man who was behind the entire mess was a powerful man called Charles Luthorne. He was the head of a big crime syndicate in New York. Fenton had nabbed several of the members years earlier when he was still on the police force in New York.</p><p>They couldn't pin anything on the company itself only the criminals that he had arrested. Apparently, when the thugs had confessed, they had told of a secret stash of microchips that the company had hidden somewhere. Fenton and the police had made it to the hideout before the bad guys and confiscated a thousand microchips. Unknown to them at the time they were later discovered to be mind-control chips. Since the syndicate was very powerful and even had spies in the police force Fenton had gotten permission from the governor in secret to take the micro-chips with him and hide them where the syndicate wouldn't be able to find them.</p><p>Fenton wanted to destroy them but a friend of Fenton's who worked in the government and was his handler for the case said no since they might have some use for them in the future. Usually, the government would have just taken possession of it but only a few people knew what the chips were capable of and decided that it would be best for Fenton to hide them util they called for them int eh future. Now, the syndicate wanted them back.</p><p>Fenton wanted to scream at himself as he informed Con Riley of everything that he had learned. He couldn't believe that he had completely forgotten about the chips, the syndicate, and everything else. No wonder the syndicate anted the file. Fenton had also written in the file that the coordinates for the microchips and the password were in the safe as a reminder to himself for later. Con Riley's eyes, widened, hardened, softened then hardened again as he listened to Fenton, his friend explain everything t him.</p><p>When Fenton finished Con but a hand on his shoulder and squeezed tight for minute letting him know it was going to be alright and then turned on his radio and started to transmit the message to all of the police officers. A few minutes later Con sent the message again and then everyone sat back and waited nervously, worried, for someone to report something. For Fenton though he was worried and nervous too he was absolutely disgusted that he had forgotten about something as important as that file and everything in it. He felt all of the responsibility of the everything that had happened descend onto his shoulders all at once. He left the room for a minute and leaned against the wall at the bottom of the stairs his head tilted back as he blinked away the tears in his eyes.</p><p>"How could I have been such a stupid fool?" his voice normally so strong and powerful was soft and broken and his heart broke clean into two.</p>
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<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
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    <p>"Dad?" The voice shook Fenton from the reverie he had fallen into and blinking back the remaining tears that had threatened to fall earlier Fenton looked down at Joe. He tried to smile, he really did, but all Joe saw a strained tiny one before Fenton's face fell. "Dad?" Joe repeated this time inching closer to his dad until he was right beside Fenton and put a hand on his dad's shirt. Clenching the material in his small fist he looked up at Fenton and he seemed to loom larger than normal to Joe.</p><p>"H-He's going to be okay right?" The words shook Fenton, and he felt his shirt clenched in Joe's fist for the firs time. Not responding Fenton pushed himself off the wall and walked the foot to the stairs with Joe still holding onto him and sat down. Fenton picked Joe up an inch or two off the ground and set him on his lap. Joe's eyes now level with Fenton's nose he looked up slightly at him. His big blue eyes seemed to almost too big for his head. They were filled with all these conflicting emotions that flitted around in his eyes and that Fenton could read as clearly as if Joe's eyes were talking to him.</p><p><em>Confusion. Worry. Love. Anger.</em> But the one emotion that filled Joe's eyes so much that it physically hurt Fenton to look at them was<em> fear. </em>Fenton pulled Joe's head onto his shoulder and he wrapped his arms loosely around his son. Fenton flinched slightly when he felt something sliding on his neck. Before he could look down to see what it was Joe whimpered. Joe was crying. Fenton's own eyes started to tear up again, but he willed them back and said with a voice that faltered "He'll be oka-okay Joe. Frank will be okay."</p><p>Fenton wished to heaven that he wasn't lying to Joe or to himself. Frank had to be okay. He HAD to be.</p><p>"I-I wish none of this had happened. I wa-want Frank back!" Joe sobbed out reaching up, wrapping his arms around Fenton's neck, and burying his face harder into Fenton's neck, he cried. Hard, and so so long he cried. Fenton wanted to comfort him, tell him once again that it was going to be okay, but he was on the edge of breaking down himself. Fenton looked up in surprise when he heard footsteps coming into the hallway. Laura's face came into view and the worried look she had on her face increased to panic when she saw Joe crying and clinging to Fenton as if his life depended on it.</p><p>Her concerned eyes tore them away from Joe and up to Fenton's eyes for an explanation and her heart which had cracked at seeing Joe cry, broke even more when she saw her husband's eyes brimming with tears that were ready to fall. "Oh Fenton, Joe! she said softly her own eyes starting to tear up. She sat a step down from Fenton and Joe and wrapped her arms around both. Fenton's head leaned on Joe's head, Laura's head on Joe's shoulders and one of her hand rubbing her husband's neck. They sat there huddled together clinging to each other for strength and hope as their silent and Joe's noisier tears slid down their faces and dropped onto their clothes.</p><p>Cole stood still not moving a muscle and barely daring to breath as he racked his cold and tired brain for a plan to get himself and Frank out of the situation that they were in. "where is it?" the pudgy man growled in the frigid air while nudging the gun that was at Cole's back a little farther in.</p><p>"Where is what? What do you want?" Cole asked trying to keep his voice calm and cool while Frank started to shiver slightly in his arms.</p><p>"Hehee!" the man chuckled dryly. "I guess its true what they say the bigger they are the dumber." Cole felt himself bristle at the insult, but he shrugged it off. He had been called many things growing up and associating dumb and big together with him was just one of many. Yes, he was very tall and had muscle, but Cole was also very smart something which people deemed impossible for him just because he was bigger and taller than they were. Cole lips twitched as he grinned in the darkness. Being underestimated was something that Cole could and would use to his advantage.</p><p>The smile faded somewhat as the man stopped laughing and shoved the gun harder into Cole's back. "The file the brat took when he ran. Give it to me yah ugly lummox." The man snarled int the darkness the only light coming from Cole's flashlight which was pointed in front of Cole and the man was behind him.</p><p>Surprised Cole looked down at the boy in his arms and noticed for the first time that he had a folded file sticking out of one of his pants pockets. Shifting the young body around in his arms he managed to slip the file out of his pocked and taking a deep breath he reached his hand behind his back for the man to take the file. The man snorted and muttered just loud enough for Cole to hear "Who knew? Big and dumb got a few brain cells in his noggin."</p><p>Cole just gritted his teeth and waited for the moment to act against the pudgy man relieved yet worried a bit that Frank hadn't woken up from all of the commotion. Frank was light and not too tall for his age, in Cole's arms though Frank's body seemed to be swallowed up whole by Cole's big and muscular arms. He heard the man shuffling the file around in his hand trying to open it and Cole relaxed his muscles, tightened his grip on Frank and quietly, slowly slid his right foot forward, and bent his body slightly forward a bit ready to start running the second that the man was distracted. The man grumbled and twisting the gun that was digging into Cole's back snarled.</p><p>"Give me the flashlight I can't see a damn thing." Cole complied but held onto the flashlight tightly so when the pudgy man grabbed onto it Cole jabbed it backwards as hard as he could. A flit of a grin of success flew across his face when he felt it connect and he heard the grunt of pain and surprise from the man. Not wanting to fight with Frank still in his arms Cole took off running glad that he had already put him body in the form which made taking off easier than normal for him. "shoot…." The pudgy man was down on the ground his angry mutters fading fast as Cole's long legs took them farther and farther away from the bad guy but to where Cole wasn't entirely sure</p>
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<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
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    <p>Heart beating, blood rushing, legs pumping, run, run, go faster, must get away, cold, so cold, warm though, so strangely warm. Cole slowed his pace, and he grinned a tired smile when he remembered why he was warm though he was cold at the same time. The reason he was warm was all due to the precious bundle of Frank who was still securely held in his arms and his body heat was warm against the freezing night air. breathing hard Cole slowed down farther until he was just walking quickly. Then Cole stopped his mouth agape and his hands started to tremble.</p><p>"I am such an idiot!" Cole softly yelled at himself and fought the strong urge to smack himself in the head. He quieted down and listened intensely until his blood roared in his ears and his legs started to cramp in their strained position. He gently lowered himself to the ground after he was satisfied that he couldn't hear the pudgy guy coming after them. he leaned back against the tree's bark and shift the still unconscious Frank in his arms. He lifted one of his hands and put it to Frank's forehead.</p><p>No fever but the boy was as cold as death. Knowing what he had to do Cole lowered Frank into his lap and unzipped his own jacket before taking it off and wrapping the way to big article of clothing around Frank's thin body. The wrinkles that had been on Frank's forehead seemed to smooth out and his body shook less and less as he welcomed the added protection against the cold eagerly.</p><p>Cole reached for his belt and felt the thrill of feeling his radio in his grip. He unclipped it and grimacing at the loud static noise he turned the volume down. "Dispatch? This is officer Cole Bennginton. I have located Frank Hardy, but an armed individual is lost in the forest with us. Please send help." He waited hoping that he would hear a response, but his hopes were crushed when all he heard back was radio static.</p><p>"Dispatch?... Hello? … This is Officer Bennginton. Does anybody respond?... Hello?" Cole lifted his finger off the receiver and sighed deeply his heart positively aching as he looked at Frank's small, huddled body next to him. "What am I going to do Buddy?" Despair was evident in Cole's voice as his seemingly last hope for rescue disappeared on the cold wintry wind. Cole's misery was interrupted by a rustle in the brush only 20 feet from them and the tell-tale sound of snapping of twigs as someone came into view.</p><p>Cole's eyes grew huge and filled with varying emotions of surprise, anger, then fear as realizations set in. He jerked off the ground and started toward the person, but he was too late when a stab of light suddenly blinded him and as he fought the burning onslaught, he heard a small yelp of fear. His heart was in his throat as he opened his eyes and struggled to make the large bright spots filling his vision go away.</p><p>"I though you had brains big man." The voice snarled evilly in the night as the spots receded and Cole was able to mostly see again. The voice belonged to the pudgy man and the sight which Cole opened his eyes too, chilled his blood cold. The man had a gun pressed tightly against the temple of none other than a small, frightened Joe Hardy. "I'm not going to ask again. Where is the dang file?"</p><p>Coe blinked rapidly partially from the pain and because he didn't know what t do or how to proceeded now that he had Joe. Cole wouldn't admit it, but he was downright scared. He couldn't let him hurt Joe or Frank. He would NEVER forgive himself if that happened, especially on his watch. He took a slow breath and forced his tired, cold brain to devise a plan or just think of anything that he could do to get the precious brothers to safety. Cole knew that he was more than willing to sacrifice his own life for those two kids who had given him so much joy all those years.</p><p>Bracing himself Cole took a step forward but stopped when the man snarled at him and pressed the gun tighter against Joe's skin making a helpless whimper escape Joe's trembling lips. Cole put up his hands in front of him to show the man he wasn't going to do anything. "I swear to you that I don't know." Cole winced ready for the man to start screaming at him but instead he grinned slyly, and a look overcame his face which sent shivers down Cole's long spine. The pudgy man had a plan and whatever it was Cole was going to make sure that the Hardy brothers were going to survive. No matter what.</p>
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<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>So i have write the next chapter and i might write  it this week we'll see!  HUGS for EVERYONE! <br/>let me know what you wonderful people think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
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    <p>The sniffling started and the crying died down as Joe and his parents found that they had cried themselves dry. A police officer came into the hall but stopped short his face embarrassed and showing sympathy at having walked in on a family moment. "Con Riley would like to speak to you Mr. Hardy." The officer said with an apologetic small smile turned and left quickly not wanting to intrude any more than he already had. Fenton sighed almost imperceivably and shook Joe's shoulder gently.</p><p>"Joe buddy I got to go now okay?" Joe lifted his tear-stained and Fenton felt like crying all over again at seeing his son's heartbroken face. Joe nodded and got off Fenton's lap sitting on the stair with his mom rubbing his back. Fenton stooped and planted a kiss on his Laura's head before walking into the kitchen and where Con Riley was.</p><p>"Are you alright baby?" his mother asked her voice flowing soft as honey but a tinge of sad in it all the same. His mom only called him that when she was really worried, so Joe looked at her and rubbing his eyes with his hands he nodded and gave her a small smile. She smiled back and lifted her hand of off Joe's back. "DO you want some hot chocolate or something Joe?" Laura asked as she too got up off the stairs. Joe looked up startled for a second and she said hurriedly "I wont leave if y don't want me too Joe." Joe smiled wider this time and with a voice that was just a bit hoarse he said with a little hiccup.</p><p>"No, I th-think I'm okay now Mom. Can I have marshmallows with it?" Laura smiled brightly and cupped Joe's chin with her hands.</p><p>"Of course, Joey." She kissed his forehead, stepped of the stairs, and went into the kitchen. Joe sat on the stairs and leaned against the wall. He started to drift away into he comforting arms of sleep when he heard Fenton raise his voice and almost shout.</p><p>"Cole's missing?" Fenton immediately lowered his voice but that had Joe wide awake earlier drowsiness and exhaustion completely thrown to the wind. He snuck down the hall and peered round the partially closed door. Con was sitting at the kitchen table his face full of worry for his favorite subordinate. Con had grown just as fond of Cole as the hardy family had. If Con was viewed by the Hardy's as an uncle, then Cole was viewed as a big brother by both the Hardy boys and Con felt as if he had gained another nephew.</p><p>Fenton sat across from Con a hand scrubbing his face as he clearly showed his worry and love for the giant officer who had become somewhat like a third son to him. Joe remained quiet and motionless wanton to hear without being seen just what Fenton had meant by what he had said. But <em>inside</em> Joe wasn't sure how much more he was going to be able to take. Having Frank missing was bad enough but now with the knowledge that Cole was missing too, the one person he had complete confidence would find Frank, was missing then all hope was surely lost.</p><p>Con told Fenton that he had been searching in the forest with the rest of the search party for Joe when they were told that Joe was found. Cole had radioed deciding to continue to search the forest for Frank now instead of Joe. That had been about 25 minutes ago. No one had heard anything from Cole since. They had searched the area where he was last but found nothing. Cole knew that check-in was mandatory and every 10 minutes, but he still hadn't check-in.</p><p>Laura now joined them t the table and put a hand on her husband's arm. Turning to Con she said worriedly "What are you going to do about it?" It was then Joe noticed that there were no other officers in the house except Con. No matter what Con had always kept a strong face when his subordinates were around. He had to keep a brave face for the younger officers and thus remained calm and kept a straight face.</p><p>There were no other officers now and Con relaxed and released his emotions as he was now with family and he knew that he had to be strong to a certain degree for the suffering Hardy family, but he also knew that he could be himself and let show what he was feeling too. So Con with a face that showed hints anxiety, worry and a hint of love as he said with a voice that showed just how worried and weary, he truly was.</p><p>"We don't have any spare officers to search for Cole. Everyone is either at a necessary job at the station, out on the beat, or on the different search parties searching for Frank. I'm not sure what to do Fenton." Joe didn't wait to hear his father's response. His eyes flashed determination as he slipped out the backdoor and climbed over their back fence since he was sure there were cop cars out front.</p><p>He hadn't gone after his brother once relying on his father, the police officers and especially Cole to find and save Frank. Now Cole was missing, and Joe felt that now was his time to go to work. He wasn't only going to find and save his precious big brother no, now he had two brothers to save, and he wasn't going to let anything stop him. he ran as fast as he could keeping out of the streetlights until he was a safe distance from the house.</p><p>Soon he was standing at the edge of the forest. The wind blew through the trees making them creak and groan eerily in protest. Joe took a deep breath and plunged into the forest unsure what he was going to find but determined never less to save his brothers. <em>I wish…</em> The wind grew colder, and Joe stumbled as he tripped on a vine that had snagged his sneaker.<em> I wish I had my family back….</em> An owl hooted jerking Joe in surprise.<em> Frank smiling at me when I say something funny… </em>The moonlight lit up his rocky, twig covered path for a moment before plunging him back into darkness.</p><p><em>Cole picking me up and swinging me around like a little kid even though I'm almost a teenager… </em>One tear slowly swelled, got to the brim, fell over and slid down his cheek. <em>I wish it had been me instead… </em>Joe lifted his hand to wipe the evidence of the tear away when he stopped suddenly and almost fell again. There was a light ahead. It was dim but way too strong to be moonlight. Joe's eyes grew wide as he recognized what it was, it was a flashlight. It looked like someone was holding a hand over it or the battery was almost.</p><p>Without a second thought Joe ran towards it. A flashlight meant a person. A person meant Cole which Joe begged meant Frank too. However, when he got close, he suddenly found himself being grabbed and cried out in surprise and part fear. Joe felt the cold, cold, grim steel of a gun being pressed against his skull. He looked around wildly and his eyes latched onto Cole who the flashlight had been pointed at and he looked in pain as he blinked rapidly. Looking around Joe saw that his brother was lying against a tree wrapped up in Cole's jacket.</p><p>
  <em>Frank…Cole … I found you… So why am I captured and being used against my family?... I wish… I wish they all would just leave us the heck alone…</em>
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<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
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    <p>Joe’s eyes were still wide open as he switched his gaze back and forth between his brother and Cole. The man pushed the gun harder against his skull eliciting a groan that escaped from Joe’s mouth. His head pounded and his breath fogged in front of him from the cold.   </p><p>“Let him go. If you want a hostage then take me but let the kid go.” Cole’s eyes were tired, but his voice was determined and almost fierce which gave Joe hope. In his eyes Cole was the best police officer ever. Con Riley coming in second with being the best police sergeant ever. The pudgy man snorted and taking the gun away from Joe’s head he pointed it at Cole and snarled out.  </p><p>“Fat chance. Listen here you little brat.” The man’s hold on Joe tightened and Joe knew that he was talking to him now. “The other brat didn’t have the file so you must have it. Give it to me or else your big lunk of a protector is going die.” Joe shivered unconsciously and he turned to Cole asking him silently what to do. Cole just smiled at him his hands in front of him in the surrender position. It was a small sad smile and it made Joe so sad to see his unrelated bigger brother smile like that.  </p><p>“I-I can take you t-to the file.” Joe’s voice came out small and he winced as he stammered a bit flustered.</p><p>“Huh! Look here who came to their stupid senses.” The pudgy man said in a voice that dripped with something that Joe guessed was a cross between disgust and sarcasm. <em>I can do this. I MUST do this.</em> Joe mentally reassured himself as he was about to get the evil man away from his family.  The man gripped him almost impossibly harder and snarled out at Cole and Frank “If you try to follow us the kid gets a bullet. If yah try to contact your police buddies, the kid gets it. Got it? Try, do, say, or even breath funny and the kid is as good as dead. “</p><p>Cole nodded his head and just then Frank decided to awaken. “Cole?” Frank muttered sleepily as he pushed himself up from the ground and stood up keeping a hand on the trunk by him not once taking his half-closed eyes off the ground. Frank getting no response, he finally looked up and his jaw dropped leaving his mouth agape as his brown eyes took in the scene before him. Frank’s eyes after roaming around the little group settled on Joe and his eyes sparkled with relief until he took full notice of the gun pressing into his baby brother’s temple.  </p><p>“Let him go.” Frank’s voice seethed in anger something Joe had not heard since he was 6 and a bully at school had been picking on him. Frank had come out of nowhere pushed the bully away from Joe and told the bully in the same seething voice to never touch his brother again. To Joe’s surprise the bully never did. So, as Joe heard that same tone of voice in Frank again, he knew without a shadow of a doubt that Frank was furiously angry and that somehow the man holding him captive was going to regret it.  </p><p>“Frank” Cole’s voice was slow and full of caution warning Frank not to do anything stupid. Joe’s ears picked up on Something rustling in the area but kept silent hoping against hope that maybe it was his Dad or Con. The man seemed to not hear it as he growled out further threats at Cole and Now Frank telling them if they came any closer Joe was going to die and similar things.  Joe probably should have been listening and growing even more terrified, but that rustling had settled down to small snaps of twigs and light footsteps that Joe would have missed if he wasn’t listening for it.  </p><p>It got closer and closer until it seemed to be right behind him! and then the cool click of a gun stopped the pudgy man’s threats, Frank’s eyes got wide, and Cole’s eyebrows shot up to his hair. “Let the kid go Boss.” The sentence was whispered softly except for the last word which was delivered with disgust and vile contempt for the man. He slowly loosened Joe’s grip and Joe broke out of his hold running straight to Frank who hugged him, and Cole stepped in front of the boys shielding them with his body.  </p><p>“This is for every single evil thing you ordered me to do. I quit.” The words were said angrily, the last sentence coolly and a gunshot echoed throughout the forest making the boys jump and Joe tremble in Frank’s arms.  Something huge dropped to the ground with an ear-splitting scream before trialing off and falling silent. Frank hesitantly tried to peer around Cole, but Cole put his hand around his back shooing the boys back.  “I’m not going to hurt you Officer or the boys.” Something dropped to the forest floor with a thud and Cole’s body released a bit of the tension he was carrying. “I am here to surrender.”</p><p>“Oh, and he is still very much alive. At least for now.” Joe peeked around Cole still being held in Frank’s arms and his big baby blue eyes widened in shock and surprise.    </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>just a bit more to go!!!</p>
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<a name="section0029"><h2>29. TIME</h2></a>
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    <p>By the time that Laura got up from the table and reheated Joe’s hot chocolate he had, unknown to the Hardy’s, been gone for at least 30 minutes. Another 5 minutes went by as it heated up. 2 more minutes then Laura was heading into the hallway to give Joe his hot chocolate. Fenton and Con heard the loud gasp and the telltale crash of the mug breaking against the tile floor.   They both shoved their chair back, but Fenton was quicker and closer than Con. He got to Laura first wrapping an arm around her shaking shoulders and looked around for the source of his wife’s state.</p><p>Not seeing anything he was confused for a fraction of a second until Con’s voice broke through and asked.</p><p>“Where’s Joe?” Those two words made his heart leap into his throat and make it hard to breathe. His chest got tight, and his eyes threatened to water if he didn’t get it under control. Fenton turned to Laura and asked quietly.</p><p>“Did you check upstairs?” Laura looked at her husband and then a bit of shame at her actions as she shook her head in the negative. Fenton squeezed her shoulders comfortingly before turning to Con and telling him to check the basement as he checked upstairs. Con nodded and they searched the house top to bottom before regrettably gathering back in the kitchen in defeat. Fenton banged the counter in frustration but was interrupted by Con’s radio squawking to life with a voice that filled him with a mixture of relief and dread.  </p><p>“<em>This is officer Bennington. Does anybody respond?” </em>Con almost dove over the table in his haste to grab the walkie talkie but thankfully didn’t. he gripped it hard and responded to Cole.</p><p>“Cole this is Sergeant Riley are you okay son?” They waited with bated breath and sighed almost imperceptibly with relief when Cole responded.</p><p>“<em>I am okay sir. No injuries besides the cold and what might be the start of hypothermia if we don’t get to warmth soon sir.” </em> </p><p>“Alright Cole glad to hear it tell me your posi… Wait you said we. Who’s with you Cole?”</p><p>“<em>I have Charles Luthorne sir. He needs an ambulance. I also have the person who shot Mr. Luthorne and I have Frank and Joe.” </em>Fenton and Laura collapsed into each other’s arms as the news dissolved most of their worry and they clung to each other in happiness and relief. Cole told them where they were and that they were going to walk to the edge of the forest where they were going to wait for the ambulance.</p><p> “<em>The boys need some medical attention as the cold is affecting them more than me sir.”  </em>Con got up to call a second ambulance and the chief to call off the search but stopped when Cole’s voice crackled over the radio again<em>.  </em></p><p>
  <em>“Also, Sir I assume you are with Mr. and Mrs. Hardy?” </em>
</p><p>“Yes, Cole I am<em>.” </em>Fenton motioned for the walkie talkie and Con grinned a small grin before handing it over to longtime friend.  </p><p>“Cole? Thank goodness you and the boys are alright.”</p><p>“<em>Yes, Mr. Hardy thank goodness.” </em>Cole’s voice was soft, and the exhaustion was starting to creep into his voice.  Fenton could hear the small smile in his voice when Cole told him that there were some people who wanted to talk to them.</p><p>“DAD!” Frank and Joe’s simultaneous exclamation brought a fresh round of wetness to Fenton’s eyes.</p><p>“Hello Sons.” After conversing for a minute Fenton heard the siren in the distance through the radio and outside. Con had already gotten officers to the scene but decided to stay with the Hardy’s till they went to the hospital to see their sons.  Con thanked his lucky star that Fenton had been so wrapped up that his sons were safe that he hadn’t gotten a chance to go to the forest himself to get to his sons or to even realize until it was too late just how close the forest was to them. Con wasn’t certain that he would have been able to stop Fenton from beating Charles Luthorne to a pulp or worse.   </p><p>Not that Con couldn’t understand the feeling as he wasn’t ed to do the same thing, but he was an officer first and Frank, Laura, and Joe didn’t need after all they had been through to have their father in jail on top it. They left the house 5 minutes later and were at the hospital in 15 minutes.</p><p>5 minutes of waiting in reception… 1 minute of taking to Con before he goes to find his officers and report back to the station. The Hardy’s promising to text him what condition the boys were in when they saw them. All 3 boys… 3 minutes to ride the elevator to the right floor…</p><p>2 minutes walking down the twisting hallways all the same maddening white trying to find the right room… 30 second of anxious anticipation as they hesitate for a second before pushing open the door and confronting whatever was on the other side…</p><p>“DAAD! MOM!” Joe’s voice called to them in high pitched joy mixed with anxiety. Laura flew over to her baby who was sitting up on a hospital bed wearing a bright yellow and red polka dotted gown that was a little too big for him. right next to him was Frank who had the biggest smile on his tired face as his mom embraced Joe and himself in a tight emotional hug. Frank gently freed himself when Joe exhausted both emotionally and physically started to sob into his Laura’s shirt.    </p><p>Laura teared up as well and rocked Joe gently back and forth while she held him tight, and Frank rubbed Joe’s back soothingly for a bit. Fenton walked over to the other side of the bed and frank scooted up a bit so Fenton could sit. Fenton looked at Frank and he saw that his hands had a couple small bandages where the red angry, scraped skin poked out a bit.  looking over at Joe Fenton saw the white bandage that covered the back of his neck where the chip pieces were.</p><p>“Its all gone Dad.” Fenton turned to frank startled a bit.</p><p>“What’s all gone Frank?” Fenton not quite catching his son’s drift.</p><p>“Joe pulled the last piece of the chip out himself Dad. He didn’t really know what it was, but he kept it in his pocket and the Doc looked at his wound and there weren’t any pieces left since that was the last one. The Doc said he’s oka-okay Dad.” Frank’s voice cracked at the last bit and Fenton drew him close hugging hid precious oldest boy to his chest. Frank wrapped his arms as far as he could around his dad’s chest and the tears streamed down his face silently.</p><p>“Its okay Frank. Your okay. Joe’s okay. We’re all okay Son.” Frank hiccuped softly and whispered.</p><p>“I had to protect hi-him Dad. I-I was s-so scared wh-when the m-man had t-the gun pointed at h-his head.” Fenton tensed he hadn’t known that Joe had been threatened with a gun and that though chilled him. even more so since Frank was obviously right there when Joe was threatened too.</p><p>“But you protected him Frank! You were scared but look. Joe’s here and he’s alright.” They both turned in surprise when Joe’s voice piped up and said.</p><p>“I bet I was even more scared than you were Frank.” Frank rolled his eyes at his competitive brother but smiled warmly at him. “I didn’t know what to do and then you woke up frank an-and you got so mad, and I knew that ev-everything was going to be okay. Cause I know that when you get mad the bad guy is going to get his butt whooped.” Frank smiled wider and released himself from Fenton’s hold.</p><p>“That’s right Joe and don’t you ever forget it.” Joe smiled too before the smile slowly dissipated into a teary face and Joe sniffed hard wiping his eyes before throwing his arms around Frank and saying slightly muffled through Frank’s gown.</p><p>“I’m so sorry Frank!” Frank’s eyes got wide and startled as he glanced helplessly looking for answers at his parents, but they exchanged looks of not knowing and Frank sighed worried.</p><p>“Sorry about what Joe? You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about.” Frank said gently to his distraught brother.  </p><p>“I said a ton of horrible things to you and acted like an idiot when I had the chip in my head. I didn’t mean any of it I swear Frank.” Joe’s tears had calmed, and he was now waving his arms around trying to express to Frank in every way how sorry he was. Frank pulled Joe back in for a quick hug before stopping him and saying.</p><p>“At the beginning of all of this I got mad at you Joe and said equally awful things and I am so sorry. I didn’t mean any of it. That wasn’t you who said those things Joe it was the mind controlling chip. I on the other hand no other excuse except that I was extremely scared, angry, and confused and I took it mega unfairly out on you. I understand if you never for…”</p><p>Joe shouted before Frank could finish his sentence “Of course I FORGIVE you! You’re my brother and we both said things we didn’t mean. Its all in the past.” Joe shrugged and smiled at him. Frank smiled back. Fenton smiled and put his hand on top of Laura’s who had been crying at the beginning but who was now drying her tears and smiling along with her family too.  </p><p>“Frank why are you and Joe in the same bed?” The thought had just hit Fenton and it seemed odd. Joe’s eyes got wide, and Frank smiled even bigger. They both pointed towards a curtained off bed. Fenton raised an eyebrow at it and turned towards the boys for an explanation. Frank put a finger to his lips and Joe motioned for them to follow him as they scrambled off the bed and tiptoed over to the curtains.</p><p>The thought had just hit Fenton and it seemed odd. Joe’s eyes got wide, and Frank smiled even bigger. They both pointed towards a curtained off bed. Fenton raised an eyebrow at it and turned towards the boys for an explanation. Frank put a finger to his lips and Joe motioned for them to follow him as they scrambled off the bed and tiptoed over to the curtains. Whoever was on the other side if they weren’t the heaviest sleeper ever was probably already awake Fenton though dryly.</p><p>The boys pulled the curtains back with a whoosh displaying a very tired but never less awake Cole Bennginton.  Joe grinned and said “they were going to put Cole in another room but we persuaded them to put him in ours, but the room only fits two beds so me and Frank were like hey! We can share a bed and then Cole can have his own and he can stay with us.” Joe looked very proud of the idea they had come up with and Fenton beamed at him with pride showing on his face.</p><p>“Very ingenious of you boys.” Frank smiled and Joe’s smile got impossibly wider.</p><p>“Oh Cole!” Laura had joined her family from the bed quietly and she sat on the edge of the bed and embraced Cole. He looked a little sheepish about it but relaxed into tian d hugged her back. “Thank you, Cole!” Cole smiled warmly at her and said.</p><p>“My job and pleasure Mrs. Hardy.”</p><p>“Are you hurt Cole? Where are you hurt sweetie?” Cole calmed her down holding onto the hand she had taken his into and smiled at her as he would his own mom if she were still alive.</p><p>“I’m not hurt Mrs. Hardy. Just a bit cold like your boys there. I’ll be released in the morning. Frank and Joe are still the bravest boys I have ever known.” Cole smiled and the whole Family smiled back at him. Frank and Joe scrambled up onto Cole’s bed. Cole sat up more and crossed his legs over each other to give them more room.  Frank sat on one side while Joe sat on the other. Joe started toying with the blanked in his hands while Frank sat quietly watching his brother not wanting him out of his sight for a second.  </p><p>Fenton walked closer to the bed and Laura got up. Fenton sat down and to Cole’s surprise drew him into a hug. Fenton hugged him tight and after a second Cole returned it just as tight. Fenton hugged tighter for a second before saying softly and full of so much warmth Cole’s heart could have burst “I’m glad you’re alright Son.” Cole let go and blinked back tears for a second before smiling softly and saying.</p><p>“Thank you, Mr. Hardy.”</p><p>“Ah enough of this Mr. and Mrs. talk Cole. You have been a member of this family long before this and we should have done this a long time ago.” Fenton looked at Laura for a sec and she nodded smiling widely. Fenton turned back to a perplexed Cole and said “Me and Laura would love it if you would call us by our names. If you’re uncomfortable you don’t have to. But we want you to know just how much a part of our family you Cole are. You are a very precious big brother to Frank, bigger brother to Joe and we love you like a son Cole.”</p><p>Cole just sat still shocked. He was jerked out of his shock when Joe crawled up the bed and settled into his lap his head leaning comfortably against his chest. Cole leaned his head down into Joe’s dirty but still soft golden locks and automatically wrapped his arms loosely around his littler brother’s body. Frank settled next to Cole without a word just smiled and picked up one of Cole’s arms before settling his head against Cole’s chest by his arm and draping Cole’s arm around himself.</p><p>Cole sat there stunned, amazed and never feeling so loved in a really long time. He looked at Laura and Fenton who sat together on the bed smiling at the cute picture their 3 sons made.    </p><p>“I would love to Miss Laura and Fenton?” The last part was a question but Fenton and Laura both grinned a smile of yes to him and he smiled back. He felt truly lucky.</p><p>Laura texted Con that they all were okay. Joe had fallen asleep quite rapidly and after Cole had eased back down a bit, so it was more comfortable so had Frank then eventually Cole fell asleep his arms still wrapped around his little brothers.</p><p>2 hours later and Con arrived back at the hospital. He pulled Fenton and Laura outside the hospital room not wanting to wake the boys. He had grinned like the crazy proud uncle he was and after taking a few pics that Laura immediately followed suit in he had led them into the hallway. He planned to update Cole int eh morning when he took him down to the station to write out his report and do other things that would also be added to the pile of evidence against the pudgy man and send him to jail for a very long time.</p><p>Con told them that the man who had shot Charles Luthorne was a man called Chigarreto. He was a subordinate of Luthorne and he after realizing what the chip was doing to Joe, he had gathered up crucial information including who had leaked that Fenton had the information and who the other members of the organization was.  Con described him as being tall sallow faced and had a thing for cigarettes. He had also been the one who had tipped the police that Joe had gone into the forest the first time.    </p><p>The organization had also been behind the pretended robbery of the Hardy house, the shooting of Laura, the chip in Joe’s head and everything else that had been wrong the past couple of weeks not to mention the past couple of days.  Con told them all about how Luthorne obtained the information of where Fenton was by a mole in the FBI agency. It wasn’t Fenton’s friend thankfully but his friend’s underling who was bad to the bone and had been bribed by Luthorne for the information.</p><p>Luthorne had ordered the death of the man who had shot Laura and had ordered that Joe be hurt so he ended up in the hospital and the chip could be implanted. They had arrested the doctor and had started to arrest the rest of the organization as well. They were going to take Luthorne to a jail cell in the next couple of days after his bullet wound healed enough. Till then he was staying a room with 2 officers inside, 2 out, and he was handcuffed to the bed.</p><p>The next day Con came back late in the afternoon to find that Cole was awake while Frank and Joe who were still using Cole as a human pillow and he didn’t mind it one bit were still asleep. Fenton and Laura had tiredly given in and lay in the other bed holding each other in their sleep. Cole repeated what he told the Hardy’s last night to Cole softly and Cole told him about what happened.</p><p>Cole told Con that his radio had stopped working when he had radioed for help after finding Frank and that Chigarreto told him later that he had jammed the radio just in case Luthorne had another one of his cronies on standby. Con told him everything that had happened and when he was done Con just stared at him silently.</p><p>Con stood up and moved closer to Cole leaning down and ruffled his hair affectionately. “I’m so proud of you Cole. Of all 3 of you fine young men but most of all you. You ain’t going to lose us Cole. Not ever.” With a big smile and a wink Con sneaked out of the room before he woke any of them up. A lone tear slipped down Cole’s face before he wiped the evidence away and silently thanked Con for wiping away the one doubt that had lingered a at the back of his mind.</p><p>Cole had been told and said that he was family to the Hardy’s before this whole incident but now it felt like he was indeed truly and for forever a part of their family. He settled back down and dozed off happy, smiling, content, and overflowing with love for his family.  He couldn’t have guessed though that he would be woken back up 2 hours later to Joe and Frank whispering to each other.  </p><p>“What are you guys whispering about?” Cole whispered and received 2 wide eyed expression from Frank and Joe as they jolted a bit in surprise before smiling at them.</p><p>“We were wondering what to call you now.” Cole wrinkled his forehead in confusion before it clicked in his head.</p><p>“I like Cole. Cole’s fine.” Frank frowned and Joe shook his head vigorously.</p><p>“NOPE we have to call you something to make you officially our big brother.” Frank’s tone of voice was dead serious, and Cole almost laughed at the miniature pout that adorned Frank’s face.</p><p>“How about Big Bro Cole? That way you can still call Frank big brother and not get it confused with me.” Frank’s face split wide into a smile and Joe’s face mirrored his as they looked up at him. “Big Bro Cole” Joe said solemnly “You are a genius.” Cole snorted and Frank laughed at Joe’s uncharacteristic seriousness  </p><p>“Now that that’s taken care of now what munchkins?” Joe stuck his tongue out as he tried to think, and Frank got a suspicious gleam in his eyes that went unnoticed by Joe but not Cole.  “What are you plan…” Cole never finished cause Frank’s arms shot out and startled tickling Joe mercilessly. Joe sat there too stunned to move then the ticklishness hit him, and he started laughing trying to bat away Frank’s arms, but it was useless. Joe laughed harder and Frank tickled him until he suddenly found himself being tickled.</p><p>Surprised, he looked at Cole in astonishment before he giggling in delight. It turned into full out laughter when Joe caught his breath and started in on his brother as well. after a bit Frank called uncle and they all sat back grinning and chuckling. Frank got the gleam again and motioned to Joe for them to tickle Cole together. Cole who had made the mistake of closing his eyes for a minute suddenly found himself being tickled by his brothers. He protested at first, he was a tickler after all not a ticklee. But he gave in and they all were laughing, and he had Joe and Frank shrieking with delight when Cole hands would find one of them and start tickling them in return.    </p><p>In the other bed quietly enjoying the laughter and chaos was Laura and Fenton. They just smiled at each other and went back to watching all 3 of their sons laughing and giggling with delight. Of course, their boys also didn’t know that many pics and a video were taken of them and that Con later over a stack of work papers roared with laughter at the video and smiled the biggest smile at the pics of his 3 nephews being brothers together.</p><p>Luthorne was formally charged a few days later and at his trial he was sentenced to life in prison. Chigarreto since he cooperated fully with the police and helped them immensely got 10 years, but the FBI cut a deal with him and if he worked for them for 5 years then he would get parole. Chigarreto was sincerely grateful for the opportunity, he took it and made the most of it by making himself a better man in the process. All the lower people on the company got various sentences for their crimes and the mole in the FBI got life imprisonment for treason.</p><p>So, the Hardy family consisting of Laura and Fenton, their 3 sons Cole, Frank, Joe and their uncle Con all were able to breath easy as the bad guys weren’t going to come back. They could finally have time to relax, to be a family and to live. A little brother’s wish came true. They were all safe and the rest of the bad guys in the world left them alone… For now.</p><p>THE END!!!!!!!</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK <br/>WE DID IT!!!! I FINISHED WRITING A 29 CHAPTER STORY AND YOU FINISHED READING!! <br/>THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!! I LOOOVVVEEE YOU ALLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!! <br/>I CANT THANK YOU ENOUGH!!!! Oh, I think this is my longest chapter EVVEERRR!!!!! <br/>PLEASE COMMENT AND LEAVE KUDOS!!!!!</p>
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